GondimAnne I.AlonsoCarmenDiasThelma L. P.MansoCynthia L. C.ChristoffersenMartin L.A taxonomic guide to the brittle-stars (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea) from the State of Paraíba continental shelf, Northeastern BrazilZookeys10620132013307459610.3897/zookeys.307.4673 Ophionereis dolabriformis http://species-id.net/wiki/Ophionereis_dolabriformis John & A.M. Clark, 1954Figure 10a–eDescription.

Disk circular to pentaradial (dd = 3.20 to 5.09 mm). Covered dorsally by imbricating scales of different sizes (Fig. 10a). Radial shields small, narrow, triangular (Fig. 10a). Pentaradial olive-green colour pattern on dorsal surface of disk (Fig. 10a). Bursal slits long and without genital papillae (Fig. 10b). Oral shields arrowhead-shaped, partially covering the adoral shields (Fig. 10c). Adoral shields united proximally and enlarged distally. Four oral papillae on each side of jaw angle (Fig. 10c). Dorsal arm plate longer than wide, distal region strongly convex (Fig. 10d). Ventral arm plate rectangular, lateral margins concave, distal margin enlarged and slightly convex (Fig. 10e). Single large, oval, tentacle scale. Three elongate arm spines, needle-shaped (Fig. 10d, e), fully denticulate. Olive-green stripe on 1 to 2 ½ dorsal arm segments.

Species of the family Ophionereididae. Ophionereis dolabriformis A dorsal view, detail of the radial shields B ventral view, detail of the genital scale (gs) C jaw D dorsal view of the arms E vental view of the arms. Ophionereis olivacea F dorsal view, detail of the radial shields F ventral view, detail of the accessory dorsal arm plate (adp) H jaw I dorsal view of the arms J ventral view of the arms. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Distribution.

Caribbean coast of Mexico and Colombia, Venezuela (A.M. Clark 1953, Thomas 1973, Pomory 2007, Benavides-Serrato et al. 2011), and Brazil, from Paraíba and Bahia (Gondim et al. 2010). From 14 to 97 m. Found in this study between 14 and 35 m.

Remarks.

Ophionereis dolabriformis seems to be a rare species, with a high tolerance of river influence (Gondim et al. 2010). Gondim et al. (2010) noted that this species may present variations in the design of the disc patterns, but the pentaradial pattern was maintained, and could be completely uniform, or empty, or with the pattern rays being connected by fine lines.

ClarkAM (1953) A revision of the genus Ophionereis (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea).Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London123: 65-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1953.tb00157.xThomasLP (1973) Western Atlantic brittlestars of the genus Ophionereis.Bulletin of Marine Science23: 587-599.PomoryCM (2007) Key to the common shallow-water brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.Caribbean Journal of Sciences Special Publication10: 1-42.Benavides-SerratoMBorrero-PérezGHDiasSanchez CM (2011) Equinodermos del Caribe colombiano I: Crinoidea, Asteroidea y Ophiuroidea. Serie de Publicaciones Especiales de Invemar, 22. Santa Marta, 384pp.GondimAIGiacomettiACM (2010) Echinodermata. In: GiacomettiACMLoebmannD (Eds). Biodiversidade do litoral do Piauí, 1a ed.Paratodos, Sorocaba: 1-50.GondimAIMansoCLCAlonsoC (2010) First record of Ophionereis dolabriformis (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Ophinereididae) for the Brazilian coast.Marine Biodiversity Records3: 1-4. doi: 10.1017/S1755267210000096