Ophiomusium simplex Lyman 1878

Baker, Alan N., 2016, An illustrated catalogue of type specimens of the bathyal brittlestar genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiosphalma H. L. Clark (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), Zootaxa 4097 (1), pp. 1-40 : 22

Ophiomusium simplex Lyman 1878 .

Figures 33 a, b

Ophiomusium simplex Lyman 1878 ; Sastry, 1987; Liao & A.M. Clark, 1995

Holotype BNMH 82.11.23.433 Challenger station Amboyne, 183 m; another specimen in the BMNH collection with the same registration number is labelled “ type ”. A series of non-type specimens from New Britain, BNMH 1898.8.8.83 are between 5 and 11 mm d.d.

Main Features: Holotype is 6 mm d.d. Large interradial plate conspicuous from above, and 2 smaller, protuberant plates can be seen either side of it. Lyman’s figure has under-emphasised this feature. Ventral side of disc consists of oral shield and distal interradial plate with two protuberant plates either side. There are two small arm spines low down on the lateral arm plates. Two pairs of exposed tentacle pores.