The deep-water brittle star Ophiomyces delata Koehler, 1904 is reported from the Duncan Passage, Andaman Islands, for the first time, at a relatively shallow depth of 56 m. A detailed description of the specimens is provided, as the genus Ophiomyces comprises nine nominal species that exhibit morphological plasticity and have considerable overlap in geographic range. The recently resurrected name for the family, OphiomycetidaeVerrill, 1899, is replaced with the senior synonym Ophiohelidae Perrier, 1893, and a key to genera is provided. This family represents a strongly conservative lineage among Ophiuroidea, having originated in the deep-sea and temporarily extended their range to shallow shelf settings around the middle Jurassic, before apparently retreating to bathyal and abyssal depths. The present discovery of Ophiomyces delata represents the first report of this lineage at shallow depths since the mid-Jurassic
On an unusual shallow occurrence of the deep-sea brittle star Ophiomyces delata in the Duncan Passage, Andaman Islands (Northern Indian Ocean)
On an unusual shallow occurrence of the deep-sea brittle star Ophiomyces delata in the Duncan Passage, Andaman Islands (Northern Indian Ocean)
Usha V Parameswaran, K. U. Abdul Jaleel , Aiswarya Gopal, V. N. Sanjeevan, Anil Kumar Vijayan
(Ophiomyces delata .Ophiohelidae .-
May 2014)
Abstract
