Ophioconis cupida Koehler, 1905

Ophioconis cupida Koehler, 1905: 15–16, pl. 1(19–20). — Clark, A.M. & Rowe, 1971: 88–89, 127, pl. 21(4). — Cherbonnier & Guille, 1978: 222–223, pl. 16(3–4). — Stöhr et al., 2008: 556. — Olbers et al., 2015: 105–107, pl. 7C–D. — Olbers et al. 2019: 157–158, fig. 148–149.

Ophiurodon cupida . — Matsumoto, 1915: 85. — Matsumoto, 1917: 315. — Clark, H.L., 1918: 332–333.

Ophiurodon cupidum . — Clark, H.L., 1939: 95–96.

STUDY MATERIAL. — MD208: stn DW4881, Walters shoal, Pentes, 33° 16.87´S, 43° 50.69´E to 33° 16.24´S, 43° 50.0599´E, 377–382 m, 2/5/2017: 1 (MNHN IE.2023.4169) . — MD208: stn DW4885, Walters shoal, Pentes, 33° 16.68´S, 43° 54.18´E to 33° 16.61´S, 43° 54.9301´E, 272–380 m, 3/5/2017: 1 (MNHN IE.2023.4161) (DNA code= IE.2023.4161) . — MD208: stn DW4889, Walters shoal, Pentes, 33° 9.7´S, 43° 57.1099´E to 33° 9.12´S, 43° 57.9899´E, 353–465 m, 3/5/2017: 1 (MNHN IE.2023.4008) . — MD208: stn DW4890, Walters Shoal, Pentes, 33° 8.7´S, 43° 58.16´E to 33° 8.77´S, 43° 59.13´E, 492–588 m, 4/5/2017: 1 (MNHN IE.2016.1356) (DNA code= IE.2013.1356) . — MD208: stn DW4896, Walters Shoal, Pentes, 33° 7.24´S, 43° 50.3199´E to 33° 6.71´S, 43° 50.8099´E, 325–357 m, 5/5/2017: 1 (MNHN IE.2016.1063) .

COMPARATIVE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Ophioconis cupida Koehler, 1905: SAYA / DW5423, SE Saya de Malha, 11° 26.777´S, 62° 0.864´E to11° 27.116´S, 62° 0.771´E, 210– 198 m, 12/11/2022, MNHN IE.2023.4223 (DNA code= IE.2023.4223). Ophioconis forbesi (Heller, 1862): MIWA/2012404 -SL34, 25° 41.436´N, 15° 10.944´W, 111 m, 20/6/2012, ZMBN 99236 (DNA code= ZMBN _99236). Ophioconis opacum (H.L. Clark, 1928): SS10/2005/35, Bald Island, 35° 11.442´S, 118° 38.7´E to 35° 11.25´S, 118° 39´E, 157– 147 m, 24/11/2005, MV F111582 (DNA code=F111582). Ophioconis permixta Koehler, 1905: IN2022_ V09 /150, Site:044, 23° 54.934´S, 113° 5.7412´E to 23° 55.346´S, 113° 5.6486´E, 105– 104 m, 13/12/2022, MV F309538 (DNA code=F309538). SAYA / YB01, NE Saya de Malha, 10° 22.75´S, 62° 7.75´E, 24 m, 10/11/2022, MNHN IE.2023.4349 (DNA code= IE.2022.4349). SOL 5117/025BS020, Bonaparte Gulf, 10° 25.762´S, 129° 40.023´E to 10° 25.793´S, 129° 40.028´E, 74.8–75.1 m, 8/8/2010, MV F173903 (DNA code=F173903). Ophioconis vivipara Mortensen, 1925: MIWA/2011410 -SL33, 22° 5.508´N, 17° 23.358´W, 106 m, 20/11/2011, ZMBN 99234 (DNA code= ZMBN 99234).

Distribution. NW Pacific (140 m), W Indian Ocean (10–310 m), E Indo-W Pacific (2–485 m), Walters Shoal (272–588 m)

Remarks. The five Walters Shoal specimens measure 1.5 to 5 mm dd. They are characterised by an even covering of granules over the disc, including over the oral and adoral shields, and oral plates; up to 6 flattened spatulate arm spines, the uppermost to just longer than a segment in length; 3–4 small tentacle scales around the basal pores, reducing to 2 rounded glassy scales on most of the arm, the inner being largest; widened glassy denticulate teeth, with 4–5 lateral oral papillae; VAPs that are longer than wide, transversely striated LAPs, and broadly rhomboid DAPs with a convex outer edge, and covered in small dark spots.

Ophioconis species are hard to distinguish. Ophioconis vivipara differs in having short arm spines, limited to half a segment in length. Ophioconis grandisquama Koehler, 1904 has an elongated inner tentacle scale that exceeds the VAP in length. Ophioconis permixta and O. cincta Brock, 1888 have some disc granules that are extended into small spines, and thinner more pointed arm spines. Ophioconis forbesi, O. opacum, and O. cupida are morphologically similar to the SWIO specimens, but DNA sequences of the first two species are divergent from the SWIO samples. Consequently, material from the Western Indian Ocean is tentatively referred to O. cupida until these DNA sequences can be compared to samples obtained from near the type locality in Indonesia.