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 More images | Distribution map | F 159754, 90469. Family - Ophionereididae. |
Description The disc is flat, 13 mm diameter. The radial shields are elongated oval, separated and parallel to one another, with 1–3 plates between them; 2.5–3.5 times long as wide, and length 0.1–0.12 times d.d. The dorsal surface is covered by plates, no spines/granules, with a visible diameter of 0.2–0.9 mm, overlapping; primary plates visible. The ventral interradial surface is plated. The oral shields are exposed, circular or diamond, longer than wide. The adoral shields are exposed, extending to lateral edge of oral shield or dsital to lateral edge of oral shield, separated radially, separated interradially. Bursal slits extend from the oral shield to the disc margin, bordered by spines or papillae, blunt or rounded, as wide as long, usually contiguous. The jaw is as wide as long or wider than long, with one or two, pointed or tapering apical papilla, longer than wide or as wide as long. Oral papillae are present along each jaw angle in a series, pointed or rounded. The oral tentacle pore is located inside the jaw, with distal oral papilla enlarged, and rounded or quadrangular. The specimen has five arms, unbranched, moniliform, 7–11 times d.d. Multiple dorsal arm plates per segment, contiguous, without spines/granules; supplementary arm plates present; oval or quadrangular, and 0.4–0.75 times long as wide. The second ventral arm plates are contiguous with the third plate, fan-shaped, notched or concave laterally, and 0.55–0.8 times long as wide. Ventral arm plates of the first free segments contiguous, oval or quadrangular, notched or concave laterally, and 0.6–0.9 times long as wide. Tentacle pores along the arm, with one scale or one large scale on top of several smaller scales, covering the pore, oval (as long as wide and as long as ventral arm plate). There are 2 arm spines on the first ventral segment, 3 on the first free segments. The spines are erect, extending laterally, longest in middle, and 1.5–3 times as long as one arm segment, blunt, cylindrical or flattened.
Description exported from Delta key and to be finalised when DNA sampling completed. Note species description and image characters may vary slightly in animals of different size within the same species. Cite this publication as: "T O'Hara
(2010). ‘Ophiuroids from deep sea southern Australia. Museum Victoria. Version:
1.0 http://www.museumvictoria.com.au/stars" MUSEUMVICTORIA |