Description of three species of ophioplinthacids, including a new species, from a deep seamount in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

ABSTRACT: Five specimens of brittle star were collected from a deep-sea seamount in the Northwest Pacific, and identified into three species. One which is new to science, Ophioplinthaca grandisquama n. sp., can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the distinctly elongated and stout tentacle scales, stout and long disc spines, capitate with typically elongate to flaring head bearing numerous distinct thorns, radial shields roughly triangular and contiguous distally. One specimen was identified as Ophioplinthaca semele (Clark, 1949), which had been reported in Hawaii seamounts, is a new record of this species in the Northwest Pacific. The remaining specimen was an unknown species of Ophioplinthaca, with some different characteristics from other species of Ophioplinthac

SUBMITTER: Chen W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8256812 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature