Ophiolimna Verrill, 1899

Martynov, Alexander, 2010, Reassessment of the classification of the Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata), based on morphological characters. I. General character evaluation and delineation of the families Ophiomyxidae and Ophiacanthidae 2697, Zootaxa 2697, pp. 1-154 : 66-67

Genus Ophiolimna Verrill, 1899

Figures 44A–D; 45A–C; G–J; 46A–D; 47; 81A–B; 82A–E, G, J

Ophiolimna Verrill, 1899: 40 , 44

Type species: Ophiacantha bairdi Lyman, 1883 , by original designation

Diagnosis. The disk is covered with numerous small, uniform scales, completely concealed by thin skin and small densely placed granules (in some species with the addition of few spinelets), both dorsally and ventrally. The radial shields are completely or partially concealed by the granules, well defined, but relatively small, rounded or elongated. Both genital plates are well defined. The genital slits are long and conspicuous, about half their length lined by the genital plates. The jaw bears several short square, rounded or conical oral papillae similar in shape to the single (or double) apical papillae. The distalmost oral papillae are wide, rounded, operculiform, considerably different from other oral papillae. The jaws are slightly longer than high. The adradial sides of the half-jaws bear a few convoluted folds distally. The adradial sides of the half-jaws distally bear a few sharp straight folds. The dental plate is elongated, not fragmented, without folds, and with few elongate sockets, alternately placed. The teeth are broad, conical, few in number. Generally all teeth are similar in shape, but the dorsalmost teeth are usually longer. The oral shield is broadly triangular or oval, without distinct distal lobe. The adoral shields with distal wings, proximally tapered. The junction area of the adoral shields and the edges of the oral shield are covered with granules or small papillae. Dorsal and ventral arm plates are well developed. The arm spine articulations are placed distinctly at an angle or almost transversally in relation to the lateral plate. The muscle opening is larger than the nerve opening. There is a volute-shaped smooth lobe, occupying the dorsal and distal part of the artciulations. The sigmoidal fold is well-defined. The proximal edge of the spine articulation has an incision and connects with the main part of the lateral arm plate by a characteristic short connecting ridge. The arm spines are relatively long, rounded, hollow over almost their entire length, not hooked distally. A single broad tentacle scale is placed on the lateral arm plates. The vertebrae have a narrow keel and are abruptly truncated distally, the dorsal medial furrow is moderately expressed. The articulation is zygospondylous. The podial basins are small.

Material studied. Ophiolimna bairdi ( Lyman, 1883) , 2 paratypes MCZ 1917 ; ZMMU D-648, 9 specimens ( Figs 44A; 81A); Ophiolimna antarctica ( Lyman, 1879) , 5 specimens, ZMMU D-868 ( Figs 47A– E, F–K); Ophiolimna perfida (Koehler,1904) , paratype MCZ 3212 of Ophiacantha lambda H.L. Clark, 1911 ; ZMMU D-808, 3 specimens ( Figs 44C; 47F); Ophiolimna papillata (H.L. Clark, 1911) , paratype MCZ 2984

( Fig. 44D); Ophiolimna diastata (H.L. Clark, 1911) , paratype USNM 26210 ; paratype MCZ 2983 ( Figs 44B; 45A–C; G, J) .

Remarks. The genus has a long and convoluted taxonomic history. See details in Discussion.

Number of species: 6.