Ophiozonoida parva McKnight, 1975

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 : 437-438

Ophiozonoida parva McKnight, 1975

Ophiozonoida parva McKnight, 1975: 67 –69, fig. 6.—McKnight, 1993a: 175, 188.—Rowe & Gates, 1995: 436-437.

Material Examined. Bay of Islands. TAN0906/134, NIWA 77829 (4). East Coast North Island. TAN1108/179, NIWA 77811 (33). TAN1108/197, NIWA 77724 (18). TAN1108/213, NIWA 77798 (3). TAN1108/217, NIWA 77726 (1).

Comparative Material. Ophiozonoida obscura Koehler, 1922 : SS05/2007/188, Northwestern Australia, Ashmore L30 transect, 12° 26.7´S, 123° 36.048´E to 12° 26.967´S, 123° 36.583´E, 96 m, 6/7/2007, MV F162618 (103). Ophiozonoida parva McKnight, 1975 : NZOI/E864, Northern Tasman Sea, 32° 36´S, 167° 36´E, 130 m, 19/ 3/1968, holotype, NIWA 716 (1); paratypes, NIWA 717 (2).

Diagnosis. Numerous imbricating disc scales, primary plates conspicuous. Radial shields separated from each other and disc edge by single row of scales. Three disc plates lie in a row distal to the radial shield. 4–5 erect bluntly pointed arm spines. Up to 4 tentacle scales on first pore, 2 on second pore, then single scale distally.

Description. See McKnight (1975).

Distribution. Northern New Zealand (46–356 m).

Remarks. McKnight (1975) distinguished O. parva from Ophiozonoida picta by the more numerous disc plates and the presence of 4-5 rather than three arm spines, and five rather than six oral papillae. However, examination of the large number of specimens now available casts doubt on some of these distinctions. While, some specimens have four arm spines, the number of oral papillae and disc plate size do not co-vary in a consistent way. However, the number of arm spines is not related to specimen size, so we continue to use the name O. parva for the 4–5 spine form until further evidence is obtained. The arm spines on these specimens increase in size ventrally; the upper spine is 1/3 of an arm segment in length while the ventralmost is easily half an arm segment in length. Arm plates are irregularly fragmented in larger specimens of O. parva and O. picta suggesting a relationship to Ophioplocus . Similar fragmentation occurs in larger specimens of Ophiozonoida obscura Koehler, 1922 from off north-western Australia (MV F162618).

Ophiozonoida picta H.L. Clark, 1915 ( Fig. 17 )

Material Examined. Bay of Islands. KAH0907/239, NIWA 77718 (1). TAN0906/2, NIWA 77830 (4). TAN0906/ 21, NIWA 77825 (2); NIWA 54697 (1). TAN0906/24, NIWA 54750 (1). TAN0906/25, NIWA 77826 (1). TAN0906/65, NIWA 55227 (1). TAN0906/83, NIWA 55511 (1). TAN0906/90, NIWA 77822 (1). TAN0906/96, NIWA 77828 (5). TAN0906/99, NIWA 77823 (1). TAN0906/102, NIWA 55744 (1). TAN0906/105, NIWA 77824 (3). TAN0906/129, NIWA 55990 (3). TAN0906/130, NIWA 77827 (1). TAN0906/134, NIWA 56113 (1). TAN0906/140, NIWA 56262 (1). TAN0906/170, NIWA 77821 (2). TAN0906/178, NIWA 77819 (2). TAN0906/ 207, NIWA 57254 (2). TAN0906/134, NIWA 77829 (4). East Coast North Island. TAN1108/179, NIWA 77811 (33). TAN1108/197, NIWA 77724 (18). TAN1108/217, NIWA 77726 (1). TAN1108/268, NIWA 77725 (7). Far North. TAN0906/154, NIWA 77820 (3). TAN0906/162, NIWA 56736 (1). TAN0906/164, NIWA 77818 (1); NIWA 77817 (4). Three Kings Islands. TAN1105/35, NIWA 77721 (2). TAN1105/42, NIWA 77722 (1).

TAN1105/69, NIWA 77719 (5). West Coast North Island. TAN1105/115, NIWA 77720 (1). TAN1105/137, NIWA 77723 (1).

Diagnosis. Imbricating disc scales, primary plates conspicuous. Three disc plates lie in a row distal to the radial shield. Three erect bluntly pointed arm spines. Up to 4 tentacle scales on first pore, 2 on second pore, then single scale distally.

Description. See Mortensen (1924).

Distribution. New Zealand (0–820 m).

Remarks. See under O. parva .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Ophiozonoida picta H. L. Clark, 1915 (NIWA 56113, TAN 0906 / 134) showing live colour, a: dorsal, b: ventral, scale bar = 1 mm.