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Echinoderms from Southern New Zealand

Amphiura magellanica Ljungman, 1866

Amphiura magellanica Ljungman, 1866

  • Alert station 13, seven individuals.
  • Off Cape Campbell, 50 fathoms, April 4, 1947; coll. F. Abernethy; five individuals.

In fresh material of New Zealand examples of this species, the colour seems relatively invariable—the disc is grey above, cream below, the arms being entirely cream-coloured. In the field, therefore, it provides a useful diagnostic feature for separating the species from the very similar following one, where brilliant shades of various colours occur, often with banding on the arms.

In spirit material, it may be noted that in adult specimens of Amphiura magellicana the disc is usually tumid above, on account of the presence of embryos in the hursae—an additional difference to those already cited by Mortensen (1924) as distinguishing it from the following nearly-related form.