An illustrated catalogue of type specimens of the bathyal brittlestar genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiosphalma H. L. Clark (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)
Author
Baker, Alan N.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4097
1
1
40
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4097.1.1
1bdc9f90-79e0-4265-b8b7-9057618b36db
1175-5326
270988
CD767562-3A19-4F4C-914D-80C50AD0D250
Ophiomusium
Lyman 1869
Ophiomusium
Lyman, 1869
: 322
[
type
species
Ophiomusium eburneum
Lyman, 1869
by monotypy]
Ophiomusa
Hertz, 1927
: 102
[
type
species
Ophiomusium lymani
Wyville-Thompson, 1873
by monotypy; synonymized by
H. L. Clark, 1941
].
Generic description
: Disc diameter up to
30 mm
, arms three times d.d. Dorsal disc plates usually large, often porcellaneous, with either smooth, finely granular, or low conical stumps. Plates closely soldered. Radial shields mostly adjoined in adults. Ventral disc plates usually smooth, and large. Oral shield dominant. Oral papillae fused or separated. Genital slits adjacent to 1st, 2nd, or 3rd ventral arm plates, often sinuous, and with lateral papillae. Arms moniliform, with large lateral plates meeting above and below, bearing 1–13 arm spines.
Spines usually short, ventral-most longest, sometimes bifurcate. Dorsal and ventral arm plates may only be present on basal arm segments; if present further on arm, they become progressively very small. Tentacle pores present on all ventral arm segments, but only readily observable as exposed pores on the first two arm segments. Usually a scale on each pore.