Ophiactis resiliens Lyman, 1879

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 : 421

Ophiactis resiliens Lyman, 1879

( Fig. 8 )

Ophiactis resiliens Lyman, 1879: 36 –37, pl. 13(362–364).—Lyman, 1882: 115, pl. 20(7–9).—Clark, H.L., 1909a: 539–540.—Clark, H.L., 1915a: 265.—Clark, H.L., 1916: 87.—Clark, H.L., 1918: 312.—Mortensen, 1924: 124–126, fig. 11.—Clark, H.L., 1928: 427.—Mortensen, 1936: 266.—Clark, H.L., 1938: 258–259.—Clark, H.L., 1946: 212.—Fell, 1952: 22.—Fell, 1958: 26.—Madsen, 1967: 142.—McKnight, 1967a: 309.—Dartnall, 1980: 40, 70, fig. 14.—Fenwick & Horning, 1980: 439–440.—Marsh & Pawson, 1993: 286.—McKnight, 1993a: 175, 187.—Rowe & Gates, 1995: 380.—O'Hara, 1998: 43–44.

Ophionereis schayeri .—Benham, 1909: 105 [Non Ophionereis schayeri (Müller J & Troschel F H, 1844) ; see Mortensen, 1924].

Ophiactis nomentis Farquhar, 1907: 125 –126.—Benham, 1909: 105.—Clark, H.L., 1915a: 264, pl. 11(1–2).—Clark, H.L., 1918: 312 [synonymised by Mortensen, 1924].

Ophiactis savignyi .—Koehler, 1930: 122–123 (in part) [Non Ophiactis savignyi (Müller J & Troschel F H, 1842) ; see O'Hara, 1998].

Ophiactis symbiota .— Baker, 1979: 39–40.

Material Examined. Bay of Islands. KAH0907/194, NIWA 58520 (31). KAH0907/195, NIWA 58521 (8). KAH0907/211, NIWA 58429 (1). KAH0907/239, NIWA 58432 (5). KAH0907/240, NIWA 58433 (5). TAN0906/2, NIWA 54393 (8); NIWA 77852 (19). TAN0906/3, NIWA 54486 (1); NIWA 54518 (30). TAN0906/21, NIWA 54693 (10); NIWA 54703 (1); NIWA 54698 (20); NIWA 54694 (1); NIWA 54696 (2); NIWA 54692 (20); NIWA 54640 (2); NIWA 54702 (2); NIWA 54695 (5). TAN0906/25, NIWA 54779 (20); NIWA 54777 (3). TAN0906/30, NIWA 54849 (1); NIWA 54835 (1); NIWA 54846 (1). TAN0906/57, NIWA 55139 (5). TAN0906/60, NIWA 77851 (42); NIWA 77730 (1). TAN0906/96, NIWA 55647 (333). TAN0906/99, NIWA 55685 (1); NIWA 55686 (1); NIWA 55684 (1); NIWA 55681 (7). TAN0906/102, NIWA 55738 (1). TAN0906/105, NIWA 55782 (11). TAN0906/143, NIWA 56285 (5). TAN0906/170, NIWA 77731 (1); NIWA 56994 (15). TAN0906/205, NIWA 77732 (1). TAN0906/235, NIWA 57389 (3). TAN0906/240, NIWA 77729 (1). East Coast North Island. TAN1108/179, NIWA 75060 (88). TAN1108/187, NIWA 75135 (2). TAN1108/197, NIWA 75214 (174). TAN1108/ 213, NIWA 75344 (18). TAN1108/217, NIWA 75392 (23). TAN1108/232, NIWA 75422 (6). TAN1108/239, NIWA 75488 (3). TAN1108/250, NIWA 77733 (4). TAN1108/253, NIWA 77736 (23). TAN1108/268, NIWA 75640 (232). Far North. TAN0906/154, NIWA 56570 (1); NIWA 56512 (1); NIWA 56521 (5). Otago. TAN1108/66, NIWA 77813 (20); NIWA 77797 (1). Stewart Island. TAN1108/77, NIWA 77774 (12). Three Kings Islands. TAN1105/ 35, NIWA 73156 (100). TAN1105/42, NIWA 77734 (6). TAN1105/53, NIWA 77737 (1). TAN1105/69, NIWA 77810 (59). TAN1105/70, NIWA 77738 (12). West Coast North Island. TAN1105/88, NIWA 77735 (1).

Diagnosis. Dd up to 10 mm. Numerous spines on the disc margin, juvenile specimens (<4 mm dd) occasionally with scattered spines on dorsal disc plates. Dorsal arm plates transversely ellipsoidal, often longitudinally split in larger animals. Two outer oral papillae, up to 7 flattened blunt arm spines basally, falling to four by mid-arm, single tentacle scale.

Description. See Mortensen (1924).

Distribution. New Zealand (1–210 m), Tasman Sea (1–88 m), southern Australia (1–520 m).

Remarks. Several variations in dorsal disc and arm patterning were observed in live specimens of Ophiactis resiliens ( Fig. 8 ) that was retained in preserved specimens. Dorsal arm plates of older/larger animals are often fragmented. Southern Australian specimens are typically olive-green to grey with dark 'blotches' irregularly spaced along the arm. This colour difference may be indicative of cryptic speciation.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Ophiactis resiliens Lyman, 1879 showing live colour, a: dorsal and b: ventral side of NIWA 55684, TAN 0906 / 99; a, c (juvenile, NIWA 55686, TAN 0906 / 99) and d (NIWA 54486, TAN 0906 / 3) show some of the variation in dorsal disc patterning. Scale bars = 1 mm.