Description: A small brittle star with short, tapered, straight arms. The body and arms are red-brown in colour and there are two white marks at the base of each arm. There are arm combs of 8-12 short papillae and 3 arm spines. Disc to 15mm., arms 4x disc diameter.

Habitat: Lives on the surface of muddy sand and muddy gravel or on silty surfaces of rocks or boulders.

Distribution: Common all round the British Isles.

Similar Species: Ophiura robusta is similar in colouring and may occur with Ophiura albida on NE coasts of Scotland. Ophiura robusta has feebly developed arm combs.

Key Identification Features:

• Red-brown colouring with white marks at base of arms.
• Heart-shaped plate at the base of each arm, between radial plates.

Distribution Map from NBN: Ophiura albida at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Ophiura albida at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Ophiura albida at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Ophiura albida Forbes, 1839. AphiaID: 124913.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asterozoa; Ophiuroidea; Myophiuroida; Metophiurida; Euryophiurida; Ophiurida; Ophiurina; Ophiuridae; Ophiurinae; Ophiura