New records of Ophiuridae, Ophiacanthidae and Ophiocomidae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from southeastern Australia

Abstract

O'Hara, T. D., 1990. New records of Ophiuridae, Ophiacanthidae and Ophiocomidae (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from southeastern Australia. Memoirs of the Museum of Vic-toria 50(2): 287-305. Thirty species of Ophiuroidea from three families: Ophiacanthidae, Ophiuridae and Ophiocom-idae, are recorded from southeastern Australia. Ophiura jejuna is placed in the subgenus Ophiuroglypha and the inclusion of O. fidelis in Ophiacantha and O. bispinosus in Ophioplo-cus are supported. Ophiomitrella falklandica is synonymized with O. conferta, Ophiocten aus-tralis with O. hastatum and the possible synonymy of Ophiacantha sollicita with O. acuteata and Ophioplinthaca incisa with O. plicata are discussed. Three species: Ophiomyces grandis, Ophioleuce regulare and Ophiomitrella sp. cf chilensis, are new to the Tasman Region and the range of a further seventeen species is extended. Previous reports of Ophiotreta valenciennesi, Ophialcaea congesta and Ophiura fluctuans from the region are found to be erroneous. Ophiomitrella conferta and Ophioplocus bispinosus are discovered to be viviparous.