Ophiothrix congensis Koehler, 1911

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 : 14

Ophiothrix congensis Koehler, 1911

Fig. 6A, B

West African records. Koehler 1911: 21; 1914: 208; Cadenat 1938: 358; A. M. Clark 1955: 48; Longhurst 1958: 99; Cherbonnier 1962: 15; 1963: 186; Madsen 1970: 217; Alva & Vadon 1989: 833.

Material examined. St. 66: dredge sampling, 9°33.702´S, 13°06.018´E; 1 specimen, 6.5 mm. Depth: 20 m. This species appeared just once.

Diagnosis. Unfortunately half of the disc has been damaged and arms are broken. But it is clearly visible that disc scales as well as the radials are densely covered with uniform spinelets, which also extend to the ventral side. Arms carry erect and free arm spines that are quite long, glassy and thorny. There is a cluster of spines at the apex of the jaw but no lateral oral papillae.

Distribution. Northern West Africa: Guinea and southwards, southern West Africa: just to the south of Luanda, Angola (9°S) and northwards. It occurs from the intertidal zone to 65 m.

Figures

FIGURE 6. A, B, Ophiothrix congensis; A, dorsal aspect; B, ventral aspect. C, D, Ophiothrix fragilis C, dorsal aspect; D, ventral aspect. E, F, Ophiura (Dictenophiura) carnea skoogi; E, dorsal aspect; F, ventral aspect. G, H, Ophiura grubei; G, dorsal aspect; H, ventral aspect. Scale bars 1 mm.