Some ophiuroidea from the tasman sea and adjacent waters

Abstract

Fifty-three species of ophiuroids from coastal and continental shelf stations off eastern and southern Australia, Norfolk Island, and western New Zealand are discussed. Families Ophiuridae, Ophioleucidae, Ophionereididae, Ophiodermatidae, Ophiacanthidae, Ophiactidae, Amphiuridae, and Ophiothricidae are represented. Six new species are assigned to the genera Dictenophiura, Ophiocten, Ophiomusium, Ophioprium (two), and Amphistigma. Genus Ctenamphiura Verrill is synonymised with Amphiura Forbes, and the following species are synonymised: Ophiura chathamensis Fell with O. ooplax H.L. Clark; Ophiura monaria A.FI. Clark with Amphiophiura insolita (Koehler); Amphiophiura colleta H.L. Clark with A. urbana (Koehler); Ophiomusium aporum H.L. Clark with 0. australe H.L. Clark; Ophiozonella elevata H.L. Clark with O. bispinosa (Koehler); Amphiura phrixa H.L. Clark with A. catephes H.L. Clark; and Amphiura phrixocantha A.M. Clark & C.M. Clark with A. maxima Lyman. Keys are given for the Australasian species of Ophiura, Amphiophiura Ophiolepis, and Ophiomusium. Twenty-two species are recorded from the region for the first time, and the known ranges of a further 18 are extended. © 1979 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.