Studies on Indian echinoderms—3. Ophiarthrum pictum (Muller and Troschel) (Ophiuroidea : Ophiocomidae), A new record from the Indian Ocean with additional notes on the species

Abstract

The genus Ophiarthrum Peters has three species, viz., Ophiarthrum elegans, O. lymani and O. pictum. The first two species have been recorded from the Indian Ocean. Ophiarthrum elegans is distributed from Mozambique and Zanzibar to Tahiti and northwards to Ryukyu Islands (H. L. Clark, 1946). The author has collected several specimens of this species at Port Blaii: during a visit to Andaman and Nicobar islands in January, 1965. The second species Ophiarthrum lymani is described from Mauritius and appears to be endemic. The third species Op/rwrthrum pictum which is now collected from Nancowry (Nicobar) is recorded for the first time from the Indian Ocean. This species has been described for the first time from Java by Miiller and Troschel in 1842. Thereafter it has been recorded by several authors from various localities in the Pacific. Recently James (1969) has listed this species from Nancowry in his catalogue of the cchinoderms in the Reference Collections of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. A detailed description of this little known species and its distribution are given in this paper.