Brooding Snake Star

Disk circular (dd = 1.08 to 2.47 mm). Covered by large, irregular, and only slightly imbricating scales (Fig. 5g). Sometimes with the central primary plate evident. Radial scales slightly longer than broad, contiguous, separated proximally by a small scale, with outer margin rounded and inner margin straight. Ventral interradius covered by strongly imbricating scales, which are smaller than dorsal scales (Fig. 5h). Distinct line of demarcation between the scales of the dorsal and ventral surface. Bursal slits long and broad (Fig. 5h). Oral shields fan-shape, distal margin enlarged and convex, slightly longer than wide (Fig. 5i). Adoral shields large, united proximally. Two oral papillae on each side of jaw angle, distal long and opercular (Fig. 5i). A pair of infradental papillae. Dorsal arm plate broader than long, proximal margin rounded and distal margin straight (Fig. 5j). Ventral arm plate pentagonal, twice as long as wide. Three arm spines conical, erect, serrate at tip (Fig. 5l). Two tentacle scales small, narrow and elongated.

Traditionally considered cosmopolitan, except for the extreme polar regions (but see remarks). Western Atlantic from Canada, United States, Mexico, the Antilles, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Santa Cruz Province, Argentina (Bernasconi 1965, Hendler et al. 1995, Hernández-Herrejón et al. 2008, Martínez 2008, Benavides-Serrato et al. 2011). In Brazil, from Pará, Maranhão, Ceará, Paraíba, Alagoas, Bahia (Gondim et al. in press), Rio de Janeiro (H.L. Clark 1915) and, São Paulo (Borges et al. 2002). Intertidal to 1962 m. Found between 21 and 26m in present study.