Taxonomic review of Ophiothrix Müller & Troschel, 1840 (Echinodermata Ophiuroidea) from Brazil, with the description of four new species
Author
Santana, Alisson
Author
Manso, Cynthia L. C.
Laboratório de Invertebrados Marinhos, Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Itabaiana, SE, 49500 - 000, Brazil. cynthialaramanso @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 7382 - 3484
Author
Almeida, Ana C. S.
Author
Alves, Orane F. S.
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-07-01
4808
1
51
78
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4808.1.3
1175-5326
3927901
242EEAFF-0966-48A2-9D13-7FF52DDE61A5
Ophiothrix trindadensis
Tommasi, 1970
(
Figs. 5
)
Ophiothrix trindadensis
Tommasi, 1970: 61–62
, figs. 60–61. [
Espírito Santo
,
Brazil
]
Ophiothrix trindadensis
:
Alitto
et al
. 2019: 13–18
, figs. 7–8. [
Espírito Santo
,
Brazil
]
?
Ophiothrix trindadensis
:
Lima & Fernandes 2009: 60
. [
Pernambuco
,
Brazil
]
Material
examined.
MZUSP 01452
,
Ilha Trindade
,
Espírito Santo
,
Brazil
,
20°30’S
,
29°18’W
,
14 m
, coll.
XI/2014
by
J.B. Mendonça
.
Type
locality.
Trindade Island
,
Espírito Santo
,
Brazil
Diagnosis
(modified from
Alitto
et al
. 2019
). Disc (interradial regions) covered by short spines; radial shields triangular, with uniform coverage of short spines; dorsal arm plates fan-triangular, with a prominent medial ridge; ventral arm plates heart-shaped, with proximal edge straight and concave distally.
Remarks.
A complete description for this species was recently provided with the designation of a
neotype
and characterization of juvenile specimens (
Alitto
et al
. 2019
).
Alitto
et al
. (2019)
stated that diagnostic characters of
O. trindadensis
include the morphology and coverage of the disc (pentagonal and with small spines; see
Fig. 7A
from
Alitto
et al
. 2019
), morphology of the dorsal arm plates (fan-triangular and with a medial ridge; see
Fig. 7F
from
Alitto
et al
. 2019
), and number and morphology of arm spines (8–11 long, vitreous and denticulate spines; see
Figs. 7F, G
from
Alitto
et al
. 2019
). We analyzed specimens studied by
Alitto
et al
. (2019)
and other important character are related to the morphology of the ventral arm plates, that is cordiform in profile (see
Fig. 7G
from
Alitto
et al
. 2019
). The combination of these characters allows to distinguishes
O. trindadensis
from all congeners.
Besides
Tommasi (1970)
and
Alitto
et al
. (2019)
, only
Lima & Fernandes (2009)
recorded
O. trindadensis
but they gave no description or illustrations. This report was based on a monograph entitled “
Ofiuróides (Echinoder- mata:
Ophiuroidea
) dos recifes de Suape e da área de influência do complexo industrial portuário
” (
Lima 2002
), that was not formally published. Specimens analyzed by
Lima (2002)
have not been deposited in any zoological collection (Lima E.J.B., personal communication), thus preventing further studies to validate the occurrence of
O. trindadensis
in northeast
Brazil
Distribution.
Western Atlantic:
Brazil
(
Espírito Santo
) (
Tommasi 1970
;
Alitto
et al
. 2019
).