Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840
Order: Ophiurida Müller & Troschel, 1840 sensu O’Hara et al., 2017
Family: Ophiopyrgidae Perrier, 1893
Amphiophiura insolita (Koehler, 1904)
Collection: Andaman & Nicobar Islands — Off Katchall Island, 8° 00.45’ N, 93° 16.82’ E, 94 m (FORVSS261, St.35B), 24.01.2009, dredge.
Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/ECD/00247.
Description: Disc circular, relatively high; arms as high as wide basally. Radial shields pentagonal with rounded distal margins; interradial gaps occupied by single, large hexagonal plate followed by a broad, bulging marginal plate. Ventral interradii occupied entirely by large, pentagonal oral shield, which is separated from the dorsal marginal plate by a single, rectangular plate. Abradial genital plate modified inro an arm comb in the lateral disc margin. Dorsal, and ventral arm plates distinctly tumid; lateral arm plates oval, bearing eight arm spines in a single row. All plates and scales except central disc plates, distinctly beaded. Disc scales white with orange mottling.
Biological association: None.
Remarks: None.
Distribution: Reunion, India: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, western Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand; 94–1500 m.
Distribution map:
Identified by: Usha V. Parameswaran
Publication: Parameswaran U. V., Gopal A., Abdul Jaleel K. U., Saravanane N. 2021. Nine new records of brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Indian waters. Marine Biology Research, 17(5-6): 434-453. DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2021.1967995.
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