Family OPHIONEREIDIDAE

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Introduction

Ophionereidids have a circum-tropical distribution. Five genera are known worldwide with 34 species.

This family is distinguished from other ophiurid families by the following combination of character states: arms stout, widest some distance from base; arms inserted ventrally below disc and not fused with it; arm spines long, at angle to arm; disc large and flat, with no granules or spines; a pair of supplementary dorsal arm plates present on each segment.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

OPHIONEREIDIDAE: Ophionereis australis (H.L. Clark, 1923) [specimen over a hundred years old; doubtful identification; species recorded from South Africa] — Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [407] (reported new record for NSW, Australia based on AM specimens; = Ophiochiton australis Clark, 1923)

General References

Clark, A.M. 1953. A revision of the genus Ophionereis (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 123(1): 65-94 figs 1-12 pls 1-3

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.

Rowe, F.W.E. & Gates, J. 1995. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33 Echinodermata. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia 510 pp. [407]

Spencer, W.K. & Wright, C.W. 1966. Asterozoans. pp. U4-U107 figs 1-89 in Moore, R.C. (ed.). Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part U. Echinodermata. 3. Asterozoa-Echinozoa. Kansas : Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press Vol. 1.

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