“Ophiomastus bispinosus n. sp.
(Figs. 3 a---c.)
Largest specimen 3 mm diameter of disk; length of arms ca. 3 times diameter of disk. A very conspicuous rosette of 6 contiguous plates occupies the centre and main part of the disk. The rosette-plates are thickened along the edge, depressed in the proximal part or in the middle (the central plate), the disk being, upon the whole, somewhat, though not much, elevated. A single plate separates the small radial shields. A series of three larger plates occupies the interradial space from the rosette until the mouth shield. The two or three proximal dorsal plates are in contact, from the third or fourth they are well separated. They are rather high, giving the arm in side view a serrate aspect. (Fig. 3, c.)
Mouth papilla four to each side of mouth edge, the two outer considerably broader than the inner ones. Adoral plates short, straight, joining within. Mouth shields triangular, with outer side curved. Genital slits short narrow, not reaching beyond the first lateral plate. The first ventral plate large, triangular, with convex outer edge. The second widely separated from the first, with an obtuse proximal angle. The following plates decreasing very rapidly to a quite small plate with the merest indication of a proximal angle and a convex distal side. The adoral pores fairly large, with 2-3 square papillae to each side. The second pore-pair much smaller with one small papilla. From the third pair there are no papilla, the pores being very small, remaining distinct unto the sixth joint. On a few of the following joints a small tentacle papilla may be observed, sometimes also at the pores. Underside of the arms very flat. Two very short arm spines, placed nearer to the ventral side. — Colour in alcohol white.
This species is the nearest related to Ophiomastus conveniens (Astéries et Ophiures. Further Res. Swedish Antarct. Exped. I, p. 122, Pl. XV, 5-6), from which it is, however, well distinguished through its high dorsal plates and through having only two armspines. To the other species of this genus it has no nearer relation.
It may perhaps be questionable whether all the now referred to Ophiomastus are really congeneric. But discussion of this question would not be appropriate here.”
(Mortensen, 1925: 6-8)
Ophiomastus bispinosus is een slangster uit de familie Ophiuridae.
De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd in 1925 gepubliceerd door Theodor Mortensen.
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
