Ophiogaleus Thuy, 2013

Rousseau, Julie, Gale, Andrew Scott & Thuy, Ben, 2018, New articulated asteroids (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) and ophiuroids (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) from the Late Jurassic (Volgian / Tithonian) of central Spitsbergen, European Journal of Taxonomy 411, pp. 1-26 : 12

Genus Ophiogaleus Thuy, 2013

Type species

Ophiacantha ? constricta Hess, 1966, by original designation.

Extended diagnosis

Ophiacanthid with disc covered in minute, thin, rounded scales bearing short, conical spines. Radial shields oval, elongate, shorter than three times the disc radius. Jaws long, with small, oval, elongate oral papillae, two to three at the jaw apex and at least five along the jaw edge. Numerous spines (generally at least seven) reaching the length of two arm segments and positioned on ear-shaped spine articulations on a strongly elevated distal portion of lateral arm plates; dorsal and ventral lobes of spine articulations merged into continuous lobe; outer surface of lateral arm plates with moderately coarsely meshed stereom; ridge on inner side composed of short, narrow, oblique central part with generally strongly widened, triangular dorsal portion with nearly vertical distal edge and pointed dorsal and ventro-proximal tips; generally several spurs at least on inner distal edge of lateral arm plates; arm spines forming fan dorsally at least in proximal arm segments; row of spine articulations commonly protruding ventrally. Ventral portion of lateral arm plate wide and abutting along the arm midline on at least half the length of an arm segment. One to two rounded triangular tentacle pores.