Ophiopsammus maculata (Verrill, 1869)

Mills, V. Sadie & O'Hara, Timothy D., 2013, Ophiuroids (Echinodermata; Ophiuroidea) of biogenic habitats on the continental shelf of New Zealand, Zootaxa 3613 (5), pp. 401-444 : 427

Ophiopsammus maculata (Verrill, 1869)

Fig. 10 a–c

Ophiura maculata Hutton, 1872: 3 .

Pectinura maculata .—Lyman, 1879: 49.—Lyman, 1882: 15.—Farquhar, 1898: 190–191.—Benham, 1909: 105.—Clark, H.L., 1909b: 118.—Clark, H.L., 1915a: 303.—Mortensen, 1924: 176.—Fell, 1952: 24–25.—Fell, 1960b: 69.—McKnight, 1967a: 307.

Ophiopsammus maculata .—Vail & Rowe, 1989: fig. 9b.—McKnight, 1993b: 194, 199.

Material Examined. Bay of Islands. KAH0907/211, NIWA 58428 (1). TAN0906/3, NIWA 77850 (1). Otago. TAN1108/63, NIWA 74322 (42). TAN1108/66, NIWA 74360 (1); NIWA 74364 (24). TAN1108/67, NIWA 74449 (5). TAN1108/108, NIWA 74664 (10). TAN1108/117, NIWA 74738 (2). Stewart Island. TAN1108/76, NIWA 74473 (1). TAN1108/77, NIWA 74488 (53).

Diagnosis. Large, dd to 48 mm, arms to 4 times disc diameter. Disc covered in small rounded granules, radial shields obscured, oral shields exposed. Supplementary distal oral shields present, also free of granules. Adoral shields with covering of granules. Dorsal arm carinate, plates occasionally split in large specimens. 10–11 adpressed blunt arm spines, reducing to 8 in distal arm. Ventral 2 spines square tipped, rest rounded. Two tentacle scales.

Description. See Vail & Rowe (1989).

Distribution. New Zealand (1–340 m).

Remarks. This large and common shallow water ophiuroid is instantly recognisable by its relatively large size (dd up to 48 mm), dark crimson disc, and distinctive dense covering of small red spots over its dorsal and ventral disc, and dorsal arms ( Fig. 10 a–c).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Ophiopsammus maculata (Verrill, 1869) (NIWA 74360, TAN 1108 / 66, a: whole animal, b: dorsal, c: ventral) and Ophiopsammus assimilis (Bell, 1888) (NIWA 55232, TAN 0906 / 68, d: whole animal, e: dorsal, f: ventral, showing live colour. Scale bars = 1 cm.