The genus Ophiura is part of the lager family Ophiuridae, which is a diverse group containing more than 2000 species, most found at depth (Stöhr et al. 2012).They range in size from 2 to 10 cm, prefer living on muddy substrates, and have a worldwide distribution (Guille et al., 1986).They feed mostly on detritus and phytoplankton, but some are predatory and feed on epibenthic or infaunal organisms (Woodley, 1975; Boos et al., 2010; Stöhr et al. 2012).The geneal ophiuroid body plan consists of a central disc, which is usually pentagonal to round in shape, and generally five arms that are offset from the disc (Stöhr et al. 2012).Many members of the genus Ophiurahave pairs of scales where the disc meets the arms (Forbes, 1843).However, several species deverge from this body plan.
Unlike their closely related relatives, the seastars, they do not rely on tube feet for locomotion.Instead, they use their arms to push or pull sediment in order to propel themselves forward (Stöhr et al. 2012).Also unlike seastars, they have jaws closing their mouth area.The number of jaw plates corresponds to the number of legs, and have been hypothesized to have evolved from abulacral plates (Hendler, 1988; Stöhr et al. 2012).
Ophiura get their name from the greek work ophis meaning serpent and oura meaning tail.This is in reference to their snake-like arms.Their common name, brittle star, comes from their fragile nature, and can easily fragment when they are stressed (Stöhr & O'Hara, personal observation).
Ophiura is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiuridae.[1]
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.[1]
Species:[1]
Ophiura is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiuridae.
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.
Species:
Ophiura acervata (Lyman, 1869) Ophiura achatae Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura aequalis (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura albata (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura albida Forbes, 1839 Ophiura amphitrites (Bell, 1888) Ophiura annulata Quenstedt, 1876 Ophiura anoidea H.L.Clark, 1923 Ophiura astonensis Hess, 1964 Ophiura atacta H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura bartonensis Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura bathybia H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura bognoriensis Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura bridgerensis (Meek, 1873) Ophiura caledonica (Koehler, 1907) Ophiura calyptolepis H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura carnea Lütken, 1858 Ophiura carpelloides Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura clemens (Koehler, 1904) Ophiura costata Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura crassa Mortensen, 1936 Ophiura cretacea Guéranger, 1853 Ophiura cryptolepis H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura ctenophora (H.L.Clark, 1909) Ophiura cunliffei (Forbes, 1846) Ophiura davisi Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura elongata Say, 1825 Ophiura estarensis Barbier, Debelmas & Latreille, 1957 Ophiura falcifera (Lyman, 1869) Ophiura fallax Cherbonnier, 1959 Ophiura figurata Ophiura flagellata (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura flexibilis (Koehler, 1911) Ophiura floscellata Hertz, 1926 Ophiura fluctuans Koehler, 1922 Ophiura fraterna (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura furiae Rasmussen, 1972 Ophiura gagara Djakonov, 1949 Ophiura graysonensis (Alexander, 1931) Ophiura grubei Heller, 1863 Ophiura hendleri Blake & Aronson, 1998 Ophiura imbecillis (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura imprudens (Koehler, 1906) Ophiura indica (Brock, 1888) Ophiura innoxia (Koehler, 1906) Ophiura integra Ophiura kofoidi McClendon, 1909 Ophiura koreni Jarshinsky Ophiura kunradeca Berry, 1938 Ophiura kurilensis Baranova Ophiura lanceolata H.L.Clark, 1939 Ophiura lenticularis (Koehler, 1908) Ophiura leptoctenia H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura lienosa (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura ljungmani (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura luetkenii (Lyman, 1860) Ophiura lutkeni (Lyman, 1860) Ophiura maculata (Ludwig, 1886) Ophiura marylandica Berry, 1934 Ophiura micracantha H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura migrans Ophiura mimaria (Koehler, 1908) Ophiura minuta Risso, 1826 Ophiura mitescens Koehler, 1922 Ophiura monostoecha H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura mundata (Koehler, 1906) Ophiura nana (Lütken & Mortensen, 1899) Ophiura neglecta Johnston, 1935 Ophiura nitida Mortensen, 1933 Ophiura olifex Quenstedt, 1876 Ophiura ooplax (H.L.Clark, 1911) Ophiura ophiura (Linnaeus, 1758) Ophiura palliata (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura parviformis Küpper, 1954 Ophiura paucilepis Stöhr, Jagt & Klompmaker, 2011 Ophiura paucisquama Matsumoto, 1917 Ophiura platyacantha McKnight, 2003 Ophiura podica (Koehler, 1910) Ophiura prisca Goldfuss, 1833 Ophiura pteracantha Liao, 1982 Ophiura quadrispina H.L.Clark, 1911 Ophiura robusta (Ayres, 1852) Ophiura rondeletii Risso, 1826 Ophiura rouchi (Koehler, 1912) Ophiura sarsii Lütken, 1855 Ophiura saurura (Verrill, 1894) Ophiura scutellata (Lütken & Mortensen, 1899) Ophiura scutulata Lütken & Mortensen, 1899 Ophiura spinicantha McKnight, 2003 Ophiura squamosa Baker, 1979 Ophiura stellata (Studer, 1882) Ophiura stenobrachia H.L.Clark, 1917 Ophiura sternbergica Kutscher, 1981 Ophiura straini Cornell, Lemone & Norland, 1991 Ophiura tenera (Lyman, 1883) Ophiura tenorii (Delle Chiaje, 1825) Ophiura texana (Clark, 1893) Ophiura tinurtiensis Valette, 1929 Ophiura travisana Berry, 1941 Ophiura trimeni Bell, 1905 Ophiura umitakamaruae Seno & Irimura, 1968 Ophiura undulata (Lyman, 1878) Ophiura utahensis (Clark & Twitchell, 1915) Ophiura ventrocarinata Quenstedt, 1876 Ophiura verrucosa (Studer, 1876) Ophiura vindobonensis Küpper, 1954 Ophiura violainae (Cherbonnier & Sibuet, 1972) Ophiura wetherelli (Forbes, 1852) Ophiura zebra Djakonov, 1954
