Ophiopsammus anchista ( H. L. Clark, 1911 )

Okanishi, Masanori & Fujita, Yoshihisa, 2019, A comprehensive taxonomic list of brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from submarine caves of the Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan, with a description of a rare species, Dougaloplus echinatus (Amphiuridae), Zootaxa 4571 (1), pp. 73-98 : 89

Ophiopsammus anchista ( H. L. Clark, 1911)

[Japanese name: Menashi-kumohitode]

( Fig. 9G )

Pectinura anchista H. L. Clark 1911: 23 , fig. 1; 1915: 303.— Matsumoto 1917: 322.— Murakami 1942: 33.— Irimura 1979: 5; 1981: 45; 1982: 64, text-fig. 38.

Ophiopsammus anchista . Vail & Rowe 1989: 286, fig. 9A.— Irimura & Tachikawa 2002: 19.—Okanishi 2016: 669.—Okanishi et al. 2016: 25, fig. 9L.

Material examined. Okinawa Island (RUMF-ZE-02064[1], RUMF-ZE-02077[1], RUMF-ZE-02078[1]): “entrance” of the “Hedo Dome” cave, under rocks or coral rubble, approximately 15 m depth. Ie Island (RUMF- ZE-02079[1], RUMF-ZE-02076[1]): “entrance” of the “Unnamed cave”, under coral rubble, approximately 18 m depth, 24 June 2017.

Distribution. Around Japan. Depth range 5– 558 m.

Remarks. The examined specimens fall within Pectinura anchista by virtue of having wider, approximately two to three times than long, dorsal arm plates on proximal portion of the arm, and cylindrical arms.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Aboral views of living specimens. A, Ophiolepis superba H. L. Clark, 1915 (RUMF-ZE-02063); B, Ophiozonella cavernalis Okanishi & Fujita, 2018a (RUMF-ZE-02064); C, Ophiostriatus sexradiatus irimura, 1993 (RUMF-ZE-02067); D, Ophiocoma pusilla (Brock, 1888) (RUMF-ZE-02083); E, Cryptopelta cf. callista H. L. Clark, 1938 (RUMF-ZE-02068); F, Ophiarachnella gorgonia Müller & Troschel, 1842 (RUMF-ZE-02073); G, Ophiopsammus anchista (H. L. Clark, 1911) (RUMF-ZE-02079); H, Ophiarachna mauritiensis de Loriol, 1893a (RUMF-ZE-02070).