Ophiomitrella cordifera Koehler 1896

Ophiomitrella cordifera Koehler, 1896b Reports for the Azores:

Ophiomitra cordifera $ Koehler, 1896b: 250–251, 1909: 192–193, pl. 29, figs. 1–2; $ Mortensen 1933a: 40–41; $ Paterson 1985: 72–73, fig. 28;

non Ophiomitrella clavigera (Ljungman, 1865) — Mortensen 1927a: 186–187, fig. 103 [based on invalid synonymy]; Marques 1980: 102 [based on Mortensen 1927a]; Paterson 1985: 71, fig. 28 [based on Mortensen 1927a]; Harvey et al. 1988: 170 [based on Paterson 1985]; García-Diez et al. 2005: 49 [based on Mortensen 1927a].

Type locality: Azores (38°52’45”N, 28°06’00”W).

See: Koehler (1896b, 1909); Paterson (1985).

Occurrence: known only from the Azores and Canaries (Koehler 1909).

Depth: 1,143–1,530 m (AZO: 1,143 m; Koehler 1909).

Habitat: soft bottoms (mud and sand; Koehler 1909).

Remarks: Mortensen (1920, 1927a) believed that Ophiomitrella cordifera described by Koehler (1896b) from the Azores was conspecific with the O. clavigera (Ljungman, 1865). However, on re-examination of the type material, Mortensen (1933a) reinstated O. cordifera as a valid species. Paterson (1985) agreed, but for some unknown reason kept the Azores under the geographical distribution of both species. We could not find any valid record of O. clavigera in the Azores, which led us to believe that Paterson’s (1985) account for the archipelago was a mistake resulting from the historical synonymy of the two species.