Ophiosphalma familiare (Koehler, 1897)

Baker, Alan N., 2016, An illustrated catalogue of type specimens of the bathyal brittlestar genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiosphalma H. L. Clark (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), Zootaxa 4097 (1), pp. 1-40 : 31

Ophiosphalma familiare (Koehler, 1897) .

Figures 50 a, b, c, d

Ophiomusium familiare Koehler, 1897 ; H. L. Clark, 1939.

Lectotype: ZSI 4681, Investigator station 150, (actually listed as "Station 150/151), Laccadive Sea, 29/xi/1893, 7 degrees 5'45" N, 75 degrees 4' E, 1315m; Iles Laquedives, 742m. No type was designated, thus the largest specimen of the type series from station 150 (18 mm d.d., ZSI 4681) is here selected as a lectotype and the remaining specimens paralectotypes. The specimen labelled “ type ” in the BMNH, 98.7.11.2, is not one of Koehler’s type series, but one of his collected later in 1899 from the Maldives. There are further specimens in the BMNH (1948.1.10.124-133) from the John Murray Expedition station 115, off Zanzibar, 640– 658 m.

Main Features: Koehler’s illustrations are very diagrammatic and accentuate the oval shape of the radial shields and circular shape of other disc plates. One specimen, 8 mm d.d. is 6- armed. The young specimens have a distinct primary rosette, with the largest plates being next to the radial shields. Disc plates of larger specimens with minute polished granules.

Genital papillae tooth-like, oral papillae block-like and not separated. Three pairs of exposed tentacle pores.