ECHINODERMATA OTHER THAN HOLOTHUROIDEA 



281 



OPHIUROIDEA 

 Gorgonocephalidae 



A basket star, Astroboa nuda, is the first species in this 

 family to be recorded from the Marshall Islands. One speci- 

 men was found at a depth of 13 m in a cave on the sea- 

 ward side just north of Kidrenen Islet on the southwest 

 side of Enewetak. 



Ophiomyxidae 



The Ophiomyxidae are represented by two species at 

 Enewetak. One, Ophiomt^xa australis, is known from Bikini 

 and Rongerik (A. H. Clark, 1952) and Jaluit (as O. breu- 

 ispina in Kochler, 1927). The other is a single specimen of 

 Neoplax crassipes, known from the Philippines and was 

 collected in shallow water. 



Amphiuridae 



Three amphiurids are now known from Enewetak. 

 These include an undetermined Amphiodia collected from 

 lagoon sediment. Amphipholis squamata, a cosmopolitan 

 species, is common in shallow water around Enewetak; 

 two specimens have been collected at Bikini (AHF). 

 Amphiura luetkeni is the only amphiurid previously 

 recorded from the Marshall Islands (Highsmith, 1981). It is 

 often associated with live coral. Outside of the Marshall 

 Islands, A. luetkeni is known from Ceylon to Polynesia. 



Ophiactidae 



One ophiactid, the cosmopolitan species Ophiactis 

 sauignyi, has been recorded from Enewetak (A. H. Clark, 

 1952; Highsmith, 1981). It is often found in sponges. 



Ophiotrichidae 



At least three genera of Ophiotrichidae are known 

 from Enewetak. Macrophiothrix is represented by 

 M. hngipeda, originally reported from the Marshall Islands 

 by A. H. Clark (1952) from Bikini; Devaney considers 

 Koehler's (1927) Ophiothrix galatheae from Jaluit as prob- 

 ably rcferrable to this species. Another species is con- 

 sidered as M. rhabdota and is a new record for the 

 Marshall Islands. Highsmith (1981) reported and identified 

 Macrophiothrix sp. Ophiothela dar\ae is an associate of 

 alcyonacean corals. At least four species of Ophiothrix 

 occur at Enewetak; only O. exigua was previously 

 recorded from the atoll. Opiothrix (Acanthophiothrix) pur 

 purea was found on a gorgonian coral; A. H. Clark (1952) 

 also reported this species (as O. lepida) from a gorgonian 

 at Bikini Atoll. At Enewetak, O. trilineata is frequently 

 associated with branching coral such as Pocillopora; A. H. 

 Clark (1952) reported it previously from Bikini. The two 

 specimens found at Enewetak were collected at the base of 

 coral (Goniastreaj in the lagoon on a pinnacle (South 

 Medren) at a depth of 8.1 to 13.3 m. 



Ophiocomidae 



The ophiocomids are diverse at Enewetak represented 

 by 16 species in five genera with a new record, 

 Ophiarthrum elegans. One specimen of Ophiopsih remains 

 to be identified to species. 



Ophionereididae 



Two species of the ophlonereids are recognized: 

 Ophionereis porrecta and Ophionereis sp., which resemble 

 those recorded by A. H. Clark (1952) from Bikini Atoll as 

 Ophionereis degeneri. 



Ophiodermatiidae 



Five ophiodermatids occur at Enewetak. Ophiarachna 

 affinis. Ophiarachnella gorgonia, and Ophioconis permixta 

 arc new records for the Marshall Islands. Ophiopeza spi- 

 nosa was recorded (as Ophiopezella spinosa by A. H. 

 Clark, 1952) from Bikini and Rongerik Atolls. The only 

 other ophiodermatid recorded from the Marshall Islands is 

 Ophiopezella (Ophiopeza) dubiosa from Jaluit (Koehler, 

 1927). 



An additional specimen of the uncommon 

 Ophiarachnella parvispina, reported from Enewetak by 

 Devaney (1974), was located in the Allan Hancock Foun- 

 dation from the intertidal lagoon, July 17, 1960. 



Ophiuridae 



Of the four ophiurids known from Enewetak only one, 

 Ophioplocus imbricatus, a widespread warm water Indo- 

 West Pacific species has been previously reported from 

 this atoll. All four ophiurids have been reported from else- 

 where in the Marshall Islands (A. H. Clark, 1952). 



The Collection Records list the habitats of the newly 

 reported sf>ecies of Ophiuroidea. Table 2 lists comments 

 on ophiuroid color, anatomy, disc and arm length size, and 

 repository. 



ASTEROIDEA 



Astropectinidae 



The family Astropectinidae is represented by a single 

 widespread Indo-West Pacific species, Astropecten pol\/- 

 acanthus, collected in the lagoon (A. H. Clark, 1952). Two 

 small specimens were collected at Bikini Atoll in July 1946 

 and identified by F. C. Ziesenhenne (AHF). 



Oreasteridae 



The family Oreasteridae is represented by two species. 

 Culcita novaeguineae has been collected on the ocean reef 

 at Enewetak (A. H. Clark, 1952) and from the lagoon and 

 channel. Symbiotic crustaceans were recorded from this 

 species by Humes (1971) and Bruce (1979). A second 

 oreasterid, Choriaster granulatus hitherto unknown from 

 the Marshall Islands, was discovered during the Hawaii 



