Macrophiothrix longipeda (LAMARCK, 1816), Lamarck, 1816

Boissin, Emilie, Hoareau, Thierry B., Paulay, Gustav & Bruggemann, J. Henrich, 2016, Shallow-water reef ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) of Réunion (Mascarene Islands), with biogeographic considerations, Zootaxa 4098 (2), pp. 273-297 : 280

Macrophiothrix longipeda (LAMARCK, 1816)

(UF-6441, Fig. 2 i, GU 480574 )

Material. 5 spms, St. 1; 1 spm, St. 2; 4 spms, St. 3; 5 spms, St. 5; 2 spms, St. 7

Remarks. A large ophiuroid with a yellow overall colouration and conspicuous black dots on the dorsal side of the disc and dorsal arm plates. The dorsal side of the disc bears short multifid granules (2- 3 x as high as wide) some of them blunt; the radial shields are covered with rugose granules. Arm plates are trapeziform and 2- 3 x broader than long. Seven arm spines are present on each side per segment. No spinelets are present on oral shields. Hoggett (2006) described a new species, M. caenosa , very similar to M. longipeda from which it can be distinguished by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) of the dental plates. Dental plates of M. longipeda are shorter and broader and without an obvious central constriction. We did not perform SEM analyses; however, our barcoding survey confirmed that our specimens belong to M. longipeda and not M. caenosa ( Hoareau & Boissin 2010) . COI sequence data indicates that SWIO populations are deeply divergent from populations in W Australia and the Pacific (Boissin et al. in revision). While additional research is required to define species in this complex, the specimens from Réunion are likely to be the nominal form, as the species was described from neighbouring Mauritius. Abundance: 2.

Distribution. M. longipeda is widely distributed in the IWP ( Clark & Rowe 1971), and was previously recorded from Rodrigues ( Rowe & Richmond 2004), Mauritius (type locality, de Loriol 1893a), and Réunion ( Ribes & Guille 1981).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Pictures of species encountered in Réunion Island waters. Pictures were taken of freshly collected specimens except when indicated. Photo credit: BIOTAS.