Ophidiaster Agassiz 1836

Overview & Synopsis

Ophidiaster Agassiz, 1836Nardo 1834: 717 [as Linckia (pt)].Agassiz 1836b: 191; Gray 1840: 283; Müller & Troschel 1842: 28 (pt); Lütken 1864: 163; Perrier 1869: 59; Lütken 1871: 265; Perrier 1875: 120 (384), 1884: 221; Sladen 1889: 401; Perrier 1894: 330; Sluiter 1895: 60; Perrier 1896: 43; Ludwig 1897: 299; Acloque 1900: 459: Fisher 1906: 1076; Koehler 1914: 200; Verrill 1915: 89; H.L. Clark 1921: 80; Walenkamp 1976: 17; Carrera-Rodriguez & Tommassi 1977: 98; Clark & Downey 1992: 278 (as Ophidiaster).Comments. Ophidiaster is a widely occurring genus containing 24 species in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Ophidiaster has been historically identified by its characteristic eight longitudinal rows of granule covered abactinal plates. This character has created problematic overlap with Tamaria and Hacelia, which are also identified based on the number of longitudinal rows along their arms. Partial rows have been observed and their role in the taxonomic definitions of these genera awaits further study.