Ophiomalleus, Thuy, 2013

Thuy, Ben, 2013, Temporary expansion to shelf depths rather than an onshore-offshore trend: the shallow-water rise and demise of the modern deep-sea brittle star family Ophiacanthidae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 48, pp. 1-242 : 181-182

Genus Ophiomalleus gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9E006789-898D-45DB-97FF-2FC9569AFF88

Type species

Ophiomalleus beneficarum sp. nov. by present designation.

Other species included

Ophiomalleus stevenwilsoni sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Ophiacanthid with very large, massive LAPs displaying a large, conspicuous, strongly protruding ventral portion; main portion of LAP generally rectangular; three to five large to very large, ear-shaped spine articulations freestanding on elevated distal portion of LAP; inner side of LAP with simple, broad ridge devoid of angular kinks or strongly widened parts; tentacle notch small but conspicuously deeply incised and generally more than semi-circular at least in proximal LAPs.

Etymology

Name composed of ophis, Greek for “snake”, a commonly used prefix in ophiuroid names, and malleus, Latin for “hammer”, in reference to the massive, rectangular aspect of the LAPs; gender masculine.

Remarks

Among all ophiacanthid LAP types currently known, one stands out on account of its particularly massive, rectangular general appearance. Further characters of the LAP type in question are three to four large spine articulations freestanding on the elevated distal portion of the LAP, a large and strongly protruding ventral portion, a simple ridge on the inner side devoid of angular kink and strongly widened parts, and a small but deeply incised and at least semi-circular tentacle notch. This combination of characters is highly distinctive and not found in any other currently known type of LAPs within the Ophiacanthidae . Ophiomalleus gen. nov. is thus introduced here to accommodate this LAP type.

Closest similarities are shared with the LAPs of Ishidacantha gen. nov. on account of the large, strongly protruding ventral portion, the low number of spine articulations and the small, deeply incised, at least semi-circular, tentacle notches. In the light of the fundamentally differing ridge structures on the inner side of the LAPs, however, these similarities are superficial at most. Ophiomalleus gen. nov. clearly belongs to the small-pored ophiacanthids but any more detailed phylogenetic relationships remain elusive in the absence of articulated specimens.