A new brooding species of brittle-star (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Antarctic waters

Martín-Ledo, Rafael; Sands, Chester ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1028-0328; López-González, Pablo J.. 2013 A new brooding species of brittle-star (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Antarctic waters. Polar Biology, 36 (1). 115-126. 10.1007/s00300-012-1242-z

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Abstract/Summary

A new brittle star attributable to the genus Ophiacantha is described from Antarctic waters, in the diffuse limits of the Antarctic Polar Front at Shag Rocks, South Georgia. The new species can be differentiated from its Southern Ocean congeners by the striations on the arm plates. Several adult individuals were observed brooding their juveniles, as the arms of the juveniles were seen emerging from the genital slits of the parent. The present paper reports this discovery, providing a description and illustrations of Ophiacantha wolfarntzi n. sp., a comparison of the species with its closest congeners and an identification key for Ophiacantha species reported from sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s00300-012-1242-z
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems
ISSN:	0722-4060
Additional Keywords:	Antarctica, Shag Rocks, South Georgia Islands, Ophiacantha, viviparism, new species
Date made live:	06 Jun 2012 09:04 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/18215

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