BARBADOS-ANTIGUA REPORTS 33 



THE WEST INDIAN OPHIURAN FAUNA 



There are known from the recent seas 1420 described species 

 of ophiurans representing 192 genera which are distributed 

 among 13 families. 



In the West Indian region there occur 255 species represent- 

 ing 88 genera and all the known families. 



Whereas in the case of the crinoids all the species occurring in 

 the Caribbean region are confined to that area, a considerable 

 number of the ophiurans occur more or less generally through- 

 out the Atlantic basin, or are represented by closely related 

 types in the east Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, and some are 

 almost universally distributed. 



As examples of wide ranging forms the following may be 

 mentioned. 



Amphipholis sqiiamata, which is found from Norway to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, on both sides of the Atlantic, and from 

 Australia and New Zealand to Juan Fernandez, California and 

 Hawaii. 



Amphiura otteri, occurring on both coasts of the north Atlan- 

 tic and in Lower California. 



Ophiactis savignyi, occurring in shallow water in all warm seas. 



Ophmcantha vepraiica, found in the West Indies and in Fiji. 



Ophiomusinm lymani, occurring everywhere in water of mod- 

 erate depth and temperature. 



Ophiomusium planum, found on both coasts of the middle At- 

 lantic and in the Indian Ocean. 



Amphiophiura sculptilis, found in the West Indies, the Indian 

 Ocean, the East Indies and Japan. 



Asteronyx loveni, found in all northern seas and southward 

 to the West Indies, Lower California and Japan. 



The following 21 genera are known from the Caribbean region 

 only; those marked with an asterisk (*) are monotypic. 



*Ophiobrachion *Ophioholcus 



Ophiosciasma *Ophioplus 



*OpHIOPHRIXUS *HEMIEURyALE 



