Ophiolepis paucispina ( Say, 1825 )

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 : 12-14

Ophiolepis paucispina ( Say, 1825)

Fig. 5 C, D

West African records. Greeff 1882: 157; Koehler 1914: 177; A. M. Clark 1955: 50; Madsen 1970: 237.

Material examined. St. 66: dredge sampling, 9°33.702´S, 13°06.018´E; 1 specimen, 6 mm. St. BE17: grab and dredge sampling, 17°18.946´S, 11°43.389´E; 83 specimens, 2.5– 1 mm. St. BE30: grab and dredge sampling, 17°23.415´S, 11°43.432´E; 356 specimens, 2.5– 1 mm. St. BE33: dredge sampling, 17°23.416´S, 11°42.226´E; 3 specimens, 3–8 mm. St. BE42: grab sampling, 17°25.229´S, 11°39.139´E; 47 specimens, 2.5–9 mm. St. BE03: grab sampling, 17°57.636´S, 11°46.104´E; 9 specimens, 6–9 mm. St. BE02: grab and dredge sampling, 18°11.442´S, 11°50.478´E; 9 specimens, 7–9 mm. St. BE01: grab sampling, 18°23.118´S, 11°55.290´E; 9 specimens, 3–9 mm. Depth: 20– 93 m. Just a single individual could be found in Angola. It was quite common off Namibia and appeared in high abundances.

Diagnosis. More than one (usually three) series of larger disc plates are situated interradially between the radial shields and the primaries. Larger disc plates are unevenly thickened. The remaining characters are similar to Ophiolepis affinis (see above). Three specimens with four and one specimen with six arms (otherwise pentamerous, probably a regeneration accident) were found.

Distribution. Northern West Africa: Canary Islands and southwards, southern West Africa: Northern Namibia (18°S) and northwards (previously the southernmost boundary was just south of the Equator off Annobón Island). It is also distributed in the West Atlantic from Bermuda to Brazil. At depths between 4 and 93 m (previously only known down to 30 m).

Figures

FIGURE 5. A, B, Ophiolepis affinis; A, dorsal aspect; B, ventral aspect. C, D, Ophiolepis paucispina; C, dorsal aspect; D, ventral aspect. E, F, Ophiopteron atlanticum; E, dorsal aspect; F, ventral aspect. Scale bars 1 mm.