Ophiacantha angolensis Koehler, 1923

Glück, Franziska U., Stöhr, Sabine, Bochert, Ralf & Zettler, Michael L., 2012, Brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from the continental shelf off Angola and Namibia, Zootaxa 3475, pp. 1-20 : 8

Ophiacantha angolensis Koehler, 1923

Fig. 3 C, D

West African records. Ophiacantha angolensis: Koehler 1923: 6 ; Cherbonnier 1962: 6; Tommasi 1967: 525; Madsen 1970: 162. Ophiacantha angolensis inermis: Mortensen 1936: 255 .

Material examined. St. BE13: dredge sampling, 15°17.562´S, 12°00.030´E; 8 specimens, 1–4 mm. Depth: 67 m. This species appeared only at this station.

Diagnosis. One of the characteristic features of Ophiacantha angolensis is a quite big and pointed, single, unpaired papilla at the apex of the jaw. The smaller and spiniform lateral oral papillae are arranged in a continuous series. The dorsal disc plates are uniformly covered with numerous spinelets, 80–90 µm high, ending in one to three thorns.

Distribution. Northern West Africa: Ivory Coast and southwards, southern West Africa: Porto Alexandre, Angola and northwards, at 55 to 200 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. A, B, Amphiura filiformis; A, dorsal aspect; B, ventral aspect. C, D, Ophiacantha angolensis; C, dorsal aspect; D, ventral aspect. E, F, Ophiactis luetkeni; E, dorsal aspect; F, ventral aspect. Scale bars 1 mm.