Macrophiothrix aspidota

Scientific Name:-

Macrophiothrix aspidota

Common Name:-

Malayalam Name:-

Pottum Nakshathram

Category:-

Echinodermata

Status:-

Unknown

Description:-

Colour bluish grey. Two dark plates occur on every third segment of the dorsal arm plate forming a banded appearence. Disc rounded and thick, covered by short stumpy spines ending with 2-3 spires. The stumps hardly longer than broad. Radial shield flat, large and bare. Vental disc with scattered spinelets. Dorsal arm plates pentagonal with distal edge slightly convex. Light coloured spots chiefly along the distal edge. The skin covering the arms transparent, not concealing the limits of the plates. Ventral arm plate elliptical, slightly wider than long with its distal end concave. Arms simple, elongated, five in number and flexible horizontally. Arm spines 6-8 in number, not clavate but bushy at the tip. The lowest spine transparent, ‘F’ shaped with 2-3 smooth points. Oral shield well developed. A cluster of tooth papillae on the jaw apex. Oral papillae absent.

Threats:-

Not recorded

Remark:-

From Kerala, this species was reported from Kollam, Kovalam and Vizhinjam by Jayakumari (2004) and James (2007).

Habitat:-

Shallow intertidal region of depth 10m

Synonyms:-

Ophiothrix aspidota Muller & Troschel, 1842

References:-

Clark, A. M and F.W.E. Rowe 1971. Monograph of shallow-water Indo West Pacific echinoderms. London. 238 pp.
James, D. B. 1969. Catalogue of echinoderms in the reference collection of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. Bull. Cent. Mus. Fish. Res. Inst., 7: 51-62.
James, D. B. 2007. Echinoderms of the West Coast of India. Fishing Chimes, 27(7): 19- 21.
Jayakumari, M. 2004. Studies on the ecophysiology of echinoderms along the coast of Kerala. Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the University of Kerala,. 226pp.
Sastry, R. K. (2007). Echinodermata of India: An annotated check list . Rec. zool. Surv. India. Occ. paper No.271: 1-387

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