Ophiopholis longispina H.L. Clark, 1911

Granja-Fernández, Rebeca, Hendrickx, Michel E., Rangel-Solís, Pedro Diego & López-Pérez, Andrés, 2023, Deep-sea Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) collected during the TALUD cruises in western Mexico, Zootaxa 5259 (1), pp. 1-71 : 60

Ophiopholis longispina H.L. Clark, 1911

Fig. 19A‒F

Ophiopholis longispina H.L. Clark, 1911: 116 , 119‒121, fig. 45.— Kyte 1969a: 1732, 1738.— Lambert & Austin 2007: 110, 118‒119, figs. 67‒68.

Material examined. 5,232 individuals at nine stations. TALUD VIII, Sta. 11, 2 ind. (ICML-EMU-11051-A) and 17 ind. (ICML-EMU-11051-B). TALUD X, Sta. 4, 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-11045-B) and 9 ind. (ICML-EMU-11045-C); Sta. 5, 4 ind. (ICML-EMU-11045-A). TALUD XIV, Sta. 4, 7 ind. (ICML-EMU-11052-A); Sta. 8, 5 ind. (ICML-EMU-11052-B). TALUD XV, Sta. 5D, 4 ind. (ICML-EMU-11050); Sta. 20, 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-11048-A) and 13 ind. (ICML-EMU-11048-B); Sta. 23, 268 ind. (ICML-EMU-11046), 3 ind. (ICML-EMU-11047-A), 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-11047-B), 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-11047-C), 4 ind. (ICML-EMU-11049-B), 4,841 ind. (ICML-EMU-11222), 6 ind. (ICML-EMU-11687), 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-12999), and 1 ind. (ICML-EMU-11049-A). TALUD XVIB, Sta. 5, 36 ind. (ICML-EMU-11044) and 7 ind. (ICML-EMU-11053).

Comparative material. Holotype: USNM 25653 . Paratypes, 49 ind.: MCZ OPH-3126 , MCZ OPH-3406 , USNM 26006 , USNM 26089 , USNM 26132 , USNM 26611 , USNM 27047 (Supplementary file 2) .

Description (ICML-EMU-11044). DD = 8.7 mm. Disc round. Dorsal disc covered by scales and long spines, more numerous marginally. Primary plates not evident. RS scalene triangular, without spines, separated by scales and spines, except distally ( Fig. 19A ). Ventral interradii covered by scales and some short spines ( Fig. 19B ). OSh broader than long, diamond-shaped with rounded edges. Madreporite larger and rounder than OSh. AdSh curved, separated in front of OSh. Jaws bearing numerous oral papillae; one AdShSp elongated; one 2AdShSp elongated; LOPa 1‒2 elongated; TPas numerous, clustering, short. vT rectangular ( Fig. 19C ). Arms slender. DAP longer than broad, oval, surrounded by small oval plates, contiguous ( Fig. 19D ). VAP longer than broad, pentagonal, separated. LAP with up to 6‒7 ArSp, blunt tip, serrated, elongated (approximately two arm segments in length), dorsalmost the longest, ventralmost the shortest, distalmost arm spines hooked, hyaline. Tentacle pores with one oval TSc ( Fig. 19E ). Color pattern dorsally and ventrally beige-whitish (ethanol preservation) ( Fig. 19A‒F ).

Habitat and distribution. Canada, USA, and northern Mexico; 51‒ 1,746 m depth, on sponges, gorgonians, and muddy substrates (H.L. Clark 1911; Maluf 1988; Lambert & Austin 2007; Granja-Fernández et al. 2015). The material examined was collected off western Baja California and Baja California Sur, and in the Gulf of California; 435‒920 m depth, on gorgonians.

Remarks. Some variations were observed among specimens examined herein: different densities of spines on the dorsal disc, rounded and rosaceous dorsal arm plates, the shape of the jaw, and the first ventral segments of the arms can be grooved in larger specimens. These variations could be related to size, but further analysis is needed to confirm it. The oral papillae are easily removable from the jaw; therefore, many specimens have a jaw with an ophiotrichid appearance. The record from off western Baja California is new.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Ophiopholis longispina H.L. Clark, 1911 (ICML-EMU-11044, DD = 8.7 mm). A, Dorsal disc; B, Ventral disc; C, Mouth; D, Dorsal arm; E, Ventral arm; F, Dorsal view. Ophiothrix galapagensis Lütken & Mortensen, 1899 (ICML-EMU- 11691, DD = 7 mm). G, Dorsal disc; H, Ventral disc; I, Mouth; J, Dorsal arm; K, Ventral arm; L, Dorsal view.