A new species of Sigsbeia and additional records of ophiuroids from the Great Australian Bight

Abstract

A new species of Sigsbeia (Hemieuryalidae: Ophiuroidea) is described from south-western Australia. Previously, all species of Hemieuryalidae sensu stricto have been found in the tropical western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans. Consequently, all currently recognised families of Ophiuroidea now have been collected from the Australian and New Zealand region. Additional new ophiuroid records from the Great Australian Bight include Astrotoma manilense, Ophiothrix albostriata, previously known only from the holotype, and Ophiomusium scalare. New Zealand records formerly called Astrotoma drachi are referred to A. manilense. The available name Ophiomusium aporum is synonymised with O. scalare rather than O. incertum or O. australe where it has previously been placed.