Ophiacantha sociabilis Koehler, 1897: 348, pl. 8 figs 62–63.

Figure 4H

Material examined

INDIAN OCEAN • 8 specimens; off Kenya; 03°23’S, 044°04’E; 3960–3980 m; 13 Mar. 1951; Galathea II stn. 238; Globigerina ooze, NHMD-867440 • 7 specimens; Sri Lanka; 03°38’N, 078°15’E; 3310 m; 10 Apr. 1951; Galathea II stn. 281; Globigerina ooze; NHMD-867267, NHMD-867211 • 26 specimens; off Sri Lanka; 05°32’N, 078°41’E; 4040 m; 11 Apr. 1951; Galathea II stn. 282; blackish mud; NHMD-867291.

Remarks

The Galathea samples from the Indian Ocean identified as O. sociabilis differ from the Pacific and Antarctic specimens in having 4–5 pointed lateral oral papillae, the distal one not enlarged, the jaws are wider than in O. pacifica and the oral shield is longer and the lateral edges more rounded. Ophiacantha sociabilis was originally described from the Andaman Islands and Bay of Bengal (Koehler 1897), and it seems advisable to preserve this name for the Indian Ocean population until more data are available.