Ophiopeza cylindrica (Hutton, 1872)

Mills, V. Sadie & O'Hara, Timothy D., 2013, Ophiuroids (Echinodermata; Ophiuroidea) of biogenic habitats on the continental shelf of New Zealand, Zootaxa 3613 (5), pp. 401-444 : 425

Ophiopeza cylindrica (Hutton, 1872)

Ophiura cylindrica Hutton, 1872: 3 –4.

Pectinura arenosa Lyman, 1879: 48 , pl. 14(392–394).—Lyman, 1882: 15–16, pl. 23(10–12).—Clark, H.L., 1909b: 116.—Clark, H.L., 1915a: 303.—Clark, H.L., 1921: 141.—Clark, H.L., 1928: 442.—Clark, H.L., 1946: 257.—Dartnall, 1980: 42, 71.

Ophiopeza cylindrica .—Farquhar, 1895: 198–199.—Vail & Rowe, 1989: 269–273, fig. 1(a–c), 2(a–b).—Marsh, 1991: 464–465.—McKnight, 1993b: 194, 199.—Rowe & Gates, 1995: 400.—O'Hara, 1998: 47–48.

Pectinura cylindrica .—Clark, H.L., 1909b: 117.—Clark, H.L., 1915a: 303, pl. 17(4–5).—Mortensen, 1936: 301.—McKnight, 1967a: 306.

Pectinura gracilis Mortensen, 1924: 173 –176, figs. 35(3–5), 36.—Fell, 1952: 25.—Fell, 1953: 102–103.—Fell, 1960b: 69.—McKnight, 1967a: 307.

Pectinura exilis .—Koehler, 1930: 270 (in part) [Non Ophiopsammus exilis (Koehler R, 1905) ; see O'Hara, 1998].

Ophiopeza gracilis .—Fenwick & Horning, 1980: 440.

Non Ophiopeza arenosa .— Baker, 1982: 431–433, fig. 10:18c [= Ophiopsammus assimilis (Bell F J, 1888) ; see Vail & Rowe, 1989].

Non Pectinura cylindrica .—Farquhar, 1898: 190, pl. 14(4–5) [= Ophiopsammus assimilis (Bell F J, 1888) ; see Vail & Rowe, 1989].

Material Examined. East Coast North Island. TAN1108/179, NIWA 77775 (2). Far North. TAN0906/152, NIWA 56450 (2). Otago. TAN1108/63, NIWA 77801 (1). TAN1108/66, NIWA 74367 (1); NIWA 74367 (2). TAN1108/67, NIWA 77858 (4). TAN1108/148, NIWA 77859 (2). Stewart Island. TAN1108/77, NIWA 77857 (5). Three Kings Islands. TAN1105/35, NIWA 77860 (4).

Diagnosis. Disc covered in small rounded granules, radial shields separated by 3 disc plates but usually obscured by granules, oral shields exposed. One (rarely 2) supplementary distal oral shields present, also free of granules. Adoral shields with covering of granules. Arm spines 6–8 (rarely to 10) proximally, then 5 distally, erect, pointed, increasing in length ventrally. Two tentacle scales, outer one lying over the base of the ventral arm spine, reducing to 1 distally. Snake-skin patterning on dorsal disc, variable, dark and light banding on dorsal arms in preserved specimens. Ventral disc and arms pale cream.

Description. See Vail & Rowe (1989).

Distribution. New Zealand (1–348 m), southern Australia (18–150 m).