Vol. 60, 2021
(update: 2021.03.18; 06.10)
Morphometry and Relative Growth
of Ophiolepis crassa
(Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), a Brittle Star from the Eastern Pacific
Laura
Sanvicente-Añorve1,* , Francisco A. Solís-Marín1 ,
and Itzel Rosales-Contreras2
doi:10.6620/ZS.2021.60-26
1Universidad
Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y
Limnología. Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510,
Mexico City, Mexico. *Correspondence: E-mail: lesa@unam.mx
(Sanvicente-Añorve)
2Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Posgrado en
Ciencias del Mar y Limnología. Av. Ciudad Universitaria No. 3000, C.P.
04510, Mexico City, Mexico. E-mail: fasolis@cmarl.unam.mx
(Solís-Marín); roscongloitz@hotmail.com (Rosales-Contreras)
Received 3 November 2020 / Accepted 7
March 2021
Communicated by Yoko Nozawa
Tropical
ophiuroid fauna belonging to the family Ophiolepididae are almost
unknown. This study deals with the relative growth and morphometric
traits of the ophiuroid Ophiolepis crassa
from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Specimens examined in this study
came from the Colección Nacional de Equinodermos, Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México, and were collected over soft bottoms off Punta
Gorda. Thirteen anatomical features were measured in a total of 152
specimens, including disk diameter, arm length, as well as length and
width of dorsal and ventral arm plates, and radial, oral, and adoral
shields. Based on the range of values of the disk diameter, varying
from 4 to 19 mm, we provided quantitative data on each anatomical
measurement considering three size classes. Morphometric data were
adjusted to a power equation to detect the degree of allometry in the
growth of anatomical traits. Results indicated that all the ventral and
dorsal plates, as well as the radial, oral, and adoral shields, suffer
changes in shape during growth, but these changes are stronger in the
plates. In addition, an analysis of symmetry applied to both right and
left radial shields revealed that these structures remain nearly
symmetrical during growth. The disk diameter vs arm/disk relationship
indicated that the species is a surface dweller inhabitant of the
seafloor. This study, based on a single sample collected in a
restricted area of the eastern Pacific, provides useful quantitative
information for further taxonomic, systematic, or biogeographic studies.
Key words: Allometric relationships,
Symmetry, Disk, Microstructures, Gulf of California.
Citation: Sanvicente-Añorve L, Solís-Marín
FA, Rosales-Contreras I. 2021. Morphometry and relative growth of
Ophiolepis crassa (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), a brittle star from the
eastern Pacific. Zool Stud 60:26.
doi:10.6620/ZS.2021.60-26.

|