''Ophiojura'' is a genus of
brittle star in its own family, Ophiojuridae. It has only one known species, ''Ophiojura exbodi'', collected by the EXBODI expedition from Banc Durand seamount off
New Caledonia
)
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, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
in 2011 at a depth of .
The prefix 'Ophio' comes form the
Ancient Greek word for serpent, and 'jura' is derived from the
Jura Mountains
The Jura Mountains ( , , , ; french: Massif du Jura; german: Juragebirge; it, Massiccio del Giura, rm, Montagnas da Jura) are a sub-alpine mountain range a short distance north of the Western Alps and mainly demarcate a long part of the Frenc ...
, which lent its name to the
Jurassic period.
''Ophiojura exbodi'' has eight arms, each long and bearing rows of sharp teeth leading to its multitude of jaws, which are also toothed. DNA and fossil evidence shows that it diverged from its nearest relatives 160–200 million years ago, with the best estimate 182 Ma, from the
Early Jurassic to the
Late Triassic.
The following
cladogram shows ''Ophiojura's'' relationships to its nearest relatives:
References
Ophiuroidea genera
Ophiacanthida
Animals described in 2021
{{ophiuroidea-stub