ECHINODERMATA : Ophiurida : Ophiuridae | STARFISH, SEA URCHINS, ETC. |
Ophiura ophiura |
Description: A large active brittle star with short straight arms and a large disc. Colour varies from dull grey-brown to sandy-orange. The disc is patterned with obvious plates. There are well-developed arm combs with about 30 fine papillae and 3 arm spines. The proximal ventral arm plates are separated by paired holes or indentations. Disc 30mm., arms 3.5x disc diameter.
Habitat: Lives on the surface of sand or muddy sand, occasionally burrowing shallowly. Moves rapidly on being disturbed, by a swimming action.
Distribution: Found all round the British Isles from low tide mark to 200m at least.
Similar Species: Small specimens could be mistaken for other Ophiura species. Ophiura sarsi is equally large but the outer arm combs have only 9-12 rather broad papillae.
Key Identification Features:
Distribution Map from NBN: Ophiura ophiura at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.
iNaturalist: Ophiura ophiura at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.
WoRMS: Ophiura ophiura at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Ophiura ophiura (Linnaeus, 1758). AphiaID: 124929.
Classification: Biota; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asterozoa; Ophiuroidea; Myophiuroida; Metophiurida; Euryophiurida; Ophiurida; Ophiurina; Ophiuridae; Ophiurinae; Ophiura
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Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2024). Ophiura ophiura. (Linnaeus, 1758). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. https://www2.habitas.org.uk/marbiop-ni/speciesaccounts.php?item=ZB3150. Accessed on 2024-12-05 |