A new genus Squamophis of Asteroschematidae (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea, Euryalida) from Australia

By

O'Hara, Timothy D.
Fujita, Toshihiko, 1961-
Okanishi, Massanori

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

129

Pages

1-15

Subjects

new genus , new species , Squamophis , Squamophis albozosteres , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.129.1202

 

Abstract

Squamophis, a new genus of brittle star is described. Two species are included in the genus: Squamophis amamiensis (Okanishi & Fujita, 2009) from south-western Japan and Squamophis albozosteres sp. n. from north-western Australia. Squamophis gen. n. is distinguished from the other genera of the family Asteroschematidae by the following characters: each radial shield is single-layered and is completely covered by plate-shaped epidermal ossicles, and the relative length of the longest arm spine throughout the arms is as long as the length of the corresponding arm segment. Squamophis albozosteres sp. n. is distinguished from Squamophis amamiensis inwhite, slightly domed, plate-shaped epidermal ossicles on the aboral side of the body, the ossicles on aboral and lateral portion of the arms form transverse rows, and the other part of aboral side of disc and basal to middle portion of arms are brown but tip of the arms are light purple.