Introduction

The arms of ophiolepidids are long and stout, fused laterally into the disc, and they bear short adpressed arm spines. The dorsal arm plates are fragmented or augmented by supplementary plates in several genera, and the disc is usually covered with thick plates. Tentacle pores are usually well developed throughout the arm and are protected by one to several scales. There is an unpaired, infradental papilla at the end of each jaw, and a series of oral papillae along the side of the jaw, although these can occasionally be fused. The second oral tentacle pore opens on the sides of the jaw inside the oral slit and is often not visible from the ventral side.

The Ophiolepididae were considered previously to be a subfamily of the Ophiuridae. The subfamily, Ophiurinae, was distinguished by the position of the second oral tentacle pore which opens superficially at the rear of the jaw. However, recent cladistic analyses suggest that the similarity between the two taxa is superficial and the Ophiolepididae is distinguishable at the infraordinal level from the Ophiuridae.

History of changes

• Ophiolepis Müller, J. & Troschel, F.H. 1840. Ueber die Gattungen der Ophiuren. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 6(1): 326-330 [328].

  Type species:

   Ophiura annulosa Blainville, 1834 by subsequent designation, see Lyman, T. 1865. Ophiuridae and Astrophytidae. Illustrated Catalogue of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 1: 1-200 pls 1-2.
• Ophiozona Lyman, T. 1865. Ophiuridae and Astrophytidae. Illustrated Catalogue of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 1: 1-200 pls 1-2.

  Type species:

   Ophiolepis impressa Lütken, 1859 by subsequent designation, see Clark, H.L. 1915. Catalogue of recent ophiurans: based on the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 25(4): 165-376, pls 1-20.
• Ophioelegans James, D.B. 1981. Studies on Indian echinoderms - 8 on a new genus Ophioelegans (Ophiuroidea: Ophiuridae) with notes on Ophiolepis superba H.L. Clark, 1938. Journal of the Marine Biology Association of India 23(1-2): 15-18.

  Type species:

   Ophiolepis cincta Müller & Troschel, 1842 by original designation.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

IMCRA

Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Northwest Transition (3), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northwest Province (4), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

General References

Lyman, T. 1882. Ophiuroidea. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873–1876, Zoology 5: 1-385 pls 1-48 [18-19] (as Ophiolepis)

Matsumoto, H. 1915. A new classification of the Ophiuroidea: with descriptions of new genera and species. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 67(1): 43-92 [82-83] (as Ophiozona)

Matsumoto, H. 1917. A monograph of Japanese Ophiuroidea, arranged according to a new classification. Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo 38(2): 1-408, figs 1-100, pls 1-7 [292-293, 298] (as Ophiozona)

History of changes

• Ophiolepis cincta Desjardins, J. in Müller, J. & Troschel, F.H. 1842. System der Asteriden. Braunschweig : Papier, Druck und Verlag 134 pp. 12 pls. [90].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZMB, Red Sea.
• Ophiolepis garretti Lyman, T. 1865. Ophiuridae and Astrophytidae. Illustrated Catalogue of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 1: 1-200 pls 1-2 [61, pl. 2(4)] [status under investigation].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ (depositry uncertain, not listed in Downey, 1969), Kiribati (as Kingsmills Ils) (Pacific Ocean).

Miscellaneous Literature Names

• Ophiolepis cincta garretti Lyman, 1865. —
  Sloan, N.A., Clark, A.M. & Taylor, J.D. 1979. The echinoderms of Aldabra and their habitats. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zool. 37(2): 81-128 figs 1-22 [116-117] (considered Ophiolepis garretti as a subspecies of cinta)

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Rowley Shoals, WA to Swain Reefs, Qld; Indo-west-central Pacific Ocean. 0-30 m

IMCRA

Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Northwest Transition (3), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Ophiolepis irregularis Brock, J. 1888. Die Ophiuridenfauna des indischen Archipels. Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftliche Zoologie 47: 465-539 [475].

Distribution

States

Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indian, Indo-Pacific

IMCRA

Timor Province (2), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, inshore, marine.

General References

Cherbonnier, G. & Guille, A. 1978. Faune de Madagascar. 48. Echinodermes: Ophiurides. Paris : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 272 pp, 77 figs, 17 pls. [234-236, fig. 75(A-E)] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Clark, H.L. 1915. Catalogue of recent ophiurans: based on the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 25(4): 165-376, pls 1-20 [343] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Guille, A. & Vadon, C. 1986. Ophiuridae de l'oceán Indien profund. Indo-Malayan Zoology 3: 167-188 [169] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Koehler, R. 1905. Ophiures littorales. Siboga Expéditie Monographie 45(b): 1-142, pls 1-18 [17] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Koehler, R. 1922. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. Ophiurans of the Philippine seas and adjacent waters. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100(5): 1-486, pls 1-103 [434-435, pl. 80(1,5,10-11)] (as Ophiolepis irregularis; 1 specimen)

Koehler, R. 1930. Ophiures recueillies par le Docteur Th. Mortensen dans les Mers d'Australie et dans l'Archipel Malais. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening i Kjøbenhavn 89: 1-295 pls 1-22 [260-261] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

Vadon, C. & Guille, A. 1984. Les Ophiuridae (Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata) de la campagne MD 32 du 'Marion-Dufresne' autour de l'île de La Réunion. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris [published 1907-1971] section A 6(3): 583-615 [602-603] (as Ophiolepis irregularis)

History of changes

• Ophiolepis nodosa Duncan, P.M. 1887. On the Ophiuridae of the Mergui Archipelago collected for the Trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, by Dr John Anderson, F.R.S., Superintendent at the Museum. Journal of the Linnean Society Zool. 21: 85-106 pls 8-9, 11(28-40) [86, pl. 8(1-3)].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZSI (depository uncertain), Elphinstone Is., Mergui Archipelago, Burma.

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Qld; Bay of Bengal, Indo-Malayan Region. Depth range 0-15 m

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine.

General References

Baker, A.N. 1979. Some Ophiuroidea from the Tasman Sea and adjacent waters. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 6: 21-51, figs 1-8 [28, fig. 3f] (as Ophiolepis nodosa)

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91, 128] (as Ophiolepis nodosa)

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567 [273-274] (as Ophiolepis nodosa)

Koehler, R. 1905. Ophiures littorales. Siboga Expéditie Monographie 45(b): 1-142, pls 1-18 [18] (as Ophiolepis nodosa)

History of changes

• Ophiolepis rugosa Koehler, R. 1898. Échinodermes, receuillis par l'Investigator dans l'Océan Indien. II. Les ophiures littorales. Bulletin Scientique de la France et de la Belgique 31: 55-124, pls 2-5 [65-67, pl. 2(9-10)].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown (whereabouts undetermined), 'Pointe de Galles', Indian Ocean.

Distribution

States

Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Off Fraser Is. Qld; NW Australia, Sri Lanka, Indo-Malayan Region. Depth range 5-73 m

IMCRA

Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, marine.

General References

Baker, A.N. 1979. Some Ophiuroidea from the Tasman Sea and adjacent waters. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 6: 21-51, figs 1-8 [28, figs 3d-e] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

Koehler, R. 1900. Illustrations of the shallow-water Ophiuroidea collected by the Royal Indian Marine Survey ship Investigator. Calcutta : Indian Museum 4 pp, pls 15-21. [pl. 15(8-9)] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

Koehler, R. 1905. Ophiures littorales. Siboga Expéditie Monographie 45(b): 1-142, pls 1-18 [18] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

Koehler, R. 1930. Ophiures recueillies par le Docteur Th. Mortensen dans les Mers d'Australie et dans l'Archipel Malais. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening i Kjøbenhavn 89: 1-295 pls 1-22 [261] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [432] (as Ophiolepis rugosa)

History of changes

• Ophiolepis superba Clark, H.L. 1915. Echinoderms of Ceylon other than holothurians. Spolia Zeylanica 10: 83-102 [89] [replacement name; nom. nov. for Ophiura annulosa Blainville, 1834].
• Ophiura annulosa Blainville, H.M. de 1834. Manuel d'actinologie, ou de zoophytologie. Paris. 688 pp. 100 pls [244] [junior homonym].

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indian, Indo-Pacific, North Pacific, South Pacific

IMCRA

Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, inshore, marine.

General References

Cherbonnier, G. & Guille, A. 1978. Faune de Madagascar. 48. Echinodermes: Ophiurides. Paris : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 272 pp, 77 figs, 17 pls. [236-239, fig. 76(A-G)] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91, fig. 46d, pl. 22(3-4)] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, H.L. 1908. Some Japanese and East Indian echinoderms. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 51(11): 279–311 [289] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Clark, H.L. 1915. Catalogue of recent ophiurans: based on the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 25(4): 165-376, pls 1-20 [343] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, H.L. 1921. The echinoderm fauna of Torres Strait. Papers from the Department of Marine Biology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington 10: 1-224, 38 pls [143] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, H.L. 1928. The sea-lilies, sea-stars, brittle-stars and sea-urchins of the South Australian Museum. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 3(4): 361-482 figs 108-142 [453] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, H.L. 1932. Echinodermata (other than Asteroidea) of the Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928–29. Scientific Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-1929 4(7): 197-239 figs 1-9 pl. 1 [210] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567 [272-273] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Gibbs, P.E., Clark, A.M. & Clark, C.M. 1976. Echinoderms from the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 30(4): 101-144 [130] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Guille, A. & Jangoux, M. 1978. Astérides et Ophiurides littorales de la region d'Amboine (Indonésie). Annales de l'Institut Océanographique, Paris 54: 47-74 [70] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Guille, A. & Vadon, C. 1986. Ophiuridae de l'oceán Indien profund. Indo-Malayan Zoology 3: 167-188 [169] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Irimura, S. & Tachikawa, H. 2003. Ophiuroids from the Ogasawara Islands. Ogasawara Research 28: 1-26 [21] (as Ophiolepis superba)

James, D.B. 1981. Studies on Indian echinoderms - 8 on a new genus Ophioelegans (Ophiuroidea: Ophiuridae) with notes on Ophiolepis superba H.L. Clark, 1938. Journal of the Marine Biology Association of India 23(1-2): 15-18 [3-4, fig. 1b] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Koehler, R. 1905. Ophiures littorales. Siboga Expéditie Monographie 45(b): 1-142, pls 1-18 [17-18] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Koehler, R. 1922. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. Ophiurans of the Philippine seas and adjacent waters. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100(5): 1-486, pls 1-103 [434] (as Ophiolepis annulosa; 2 specimens)

Koehler, R. 1930. Ophiures recueillies par le Docteur Th. Mortensen dans les Mers d'Australie et dans l'Archipel Malais. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening i Kjøbenhavn 89: 1-295 pls 1-22 [260] (as Ophiolepis annulosa; SE Aust specimen cannot be found (O'Hara 1998))

Liao, Y. & Clark, A.M. 1995. The echinoderms of southern China. Beijing : Science Press 614 pp., 23 pls. [293-294, fig. 164] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Lyman, T. 1882. Ophiuroidea. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873–1876, Zoology 5: 1-385 pls 1-48 [19] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Marsh, L.M., Vail, L.L., Hoggett, A.K. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1993. Part 6. Echinoderms of Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island. pp. 53-65 2 tables in Berry, P.F. (ed.). Marine faunal surveys of Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island North-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 44: 91 pp. [62] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Matsumoto, H. 1917. A monograph of Japanese Ophiuroidea, arranged according to a new classification. Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo 38(2): 1-408, figs 1-100, pls 1-7 [300-301, fig. 82] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Murakami, S. 1943. Report on the ophiurans of Palao, Caroline Islands. Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Kyushu Imperial University 7(4): 159-204 figs 1-17 [181] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [432-433] (as Ophiolepis superba)

Vadon, C. & Guille, A. 1984. Les Ophiuridae (Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata) de la campagne MD 32 du 'Marion-Dufresne' autour de l'île de La Réunion. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris [published 1907-1971] section A 6(3): 583-615 [584] (as Ophiolepis superba)

History of changes

• Ophiolepis unicolor Clark, H.L. 1938. Echinoderms from Australia. An account of collections made in 1929 and 1932. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 55: 1-596, figs 1-64, pls 1-28 [364-365, pl. 25(2)].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ 5308, Entrance Point, Broome, WA.
  Paratype(s) AM J6312 1 specimen, Broome, WA; WAM Z1987 1 specimen (old number: 285-39), Broome, WA.

Distribution

States

Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-Pacific

IMCRA

Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Northwest Province (4)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, inshore, marine.

General References

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91] (as Ophiolepis unicolor)

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567 [273] (as Ophiolepis unicolor)

Koehler, R. 1907. Ophiuroidea. pp. 241-254 figs 1-10 in Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (eds). Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens. Jena : Fischer Vol. 1 Part 4. [243] (as Ophiolepis annulosa)

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [433] (as Ophiolepis unicolor)

History of changes

• Ophioteichus Clark, H.L. 1938. Echinoderms from Australia. An account of collections made in 1929 and 1932. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 55: 1-596, figs 1-64, pls 1-28 [360].

  Type species:

   Ophioteichus parvispinum Clark, 1938 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Queensland

IMCRA

Lord Howe Province (14), Northeast Shelf Province (40)

History of changes

• Ophioteichus multispinum Clark, H.L. 1938. Echinoderms from Australia. An account of collections made in 1929 and 1932. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 55: 1-596, figs 1-64, pls 1-28 [360-362, pl. 25(5)].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ 5306, Lindeman Is., Great Barrier Reef, near Mackay, QLD.

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-Pacific

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, marine.

General References

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [90-91] (as Ophioteichus multispinum)

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567 [271] (as Ophioteichus multispinum)

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [436] (as Ophioteichus multispinum)

History of changes

• Ophioteichus parvispinum Clark, H.L. 1938. Echinoderms from Australia. An account of collections made in 1929 and 1932. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 55: 1-596, figs 1-64, pls 1-28 [362-364, pl. 15(2), 25(4)].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ 5307, Neds Beach, Lord Howe Is., Tasman Sea.

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

South Pacific

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Lord Howe Province (14)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, marine.

General References

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567 [271] (as Ophioteichus parvispinum)

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [436] (as Ophioteichus parvispinum)

History of changes