Ophiactis quadrispina

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 : 278-279

Ophiactis quadrispina HL CLARK 1915

(REU-0220-1, Fig. 2 e, GU480579 )

Material. 2 spms, St. 5 Remarks. This species is similar to O. savignyi in size and in having six arms, but differs in having only one, distal oral papilla. Dorsal arm plates are elliptical and broadly in contact, the length of the radial shields is about half the disc radius, the dorsal arm plates are wider than long, the adoral shields meet radially and separate the first and the second ventral arm plates. The colouration is not green such as O. savignyi , but yellowish-brown. Cherbonnier & Guille (1978) synonymized this species with O. savignyi . However, later, Guille (1981) recognized that the species was different from O. savignyi and Price & Rowe (1996) also did not recognize the synonymy. The morphotypes are clearly different and our recent DNA barcoding survey confirmed their status as distinct species ( Hoareau & Boissin 2010). Abundance: 1.

Distribution. This is a first record for the Indian Ocean, the Mascarenes and Réunion. This species was previously only known from the Philippines ( Clark & Rowe 1971).

Figures

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