Ophiuridae are a large
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
brittle stars of the suborder
Ophiurina
Ophiurina are a suborder of brittle stars containing the majority of living brittle star species.
Systematics
There is currently no consensus as to the subdivision of the Ophiurina (traditionally, the infraorders have been treated as suborders). ...
.
Description
The arms are simple and unbranched, projecting from and well-fused to the edge of the disc. These arms move horizontally. The arm spines short and movable. They lie flat against the arms when stimulated, but held erect when the brittle star is at rest. Disc and arms are covered in naked, distinct scales. The scales are situated at both sides of the disc.
The jaw is surrounded by a continuous series of mouth papillae. The base of the arm contains a single arm comb or an inner and outer arm comb.
Systematics and phylogeny
The fossils of Ophiuridae date back to
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...
(''
Aganaster''†). The family includes the following living genera:
*''
Anthophiura''
*''
Astrophiura''
*''
Dictenophiura''
*''
Euvondrea''
*''
Gymnophiura''
*''
Haplophiura''
*''
Homophiura''
*''
Ophiambix''
*''
Ophioceramis''
*''
Ophiochalcis''
*''
Ophiochorus''
*''
Ophiochrysis''
*''
Ophiocrates''
*''
Ophiocrossota''
*''
Ophioctenella''
*''
Ophiocypris''
*''
Ophioelegans''
*''
Ophiogona''
*''
Ophiolipus''
*''
Ophiomisidium''
*''
Ophionotus''
*''
Ophiopenia''
*''
Ophiophyllum''
*''
Ophiopleura''
*''
Ophiopyren''
*''
Ophiopyrgus''
*''
Ophiosphalma''
*''
Ophiosteira''
*''
Ophioteichus''
*''
Ophiotjalfa''
*''
Ophiotylos''
*''
Ophiotypa''
*''
Ophiozona''
*''
Ophiura
''Ophiura'' is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiuridae.
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.
Species:
*''Ophiura acervata''
*''Ophiura achatae''
*''Ophiura aequalis''
*''Ophiura albata''
*''Ophiura albida''
*''Ophiu ...
''
*''
Ophiuraster''
*''
Ophiurinae''
*''
Ophiuroglypha''
*''
Sinophiura''
*''
Spinophiura''
*''
Stegophiura''
*''
Theodoria''
*''
Uriopha''
(This list includes the genera sometimes placed in the family
Ophioleucidae, here included in Ophiuridae as the subfamily Ophioleucinae
The World Ophiuroidea Database - Ophioleucinae Matsumoto, 1915
/ref>).
References
* Hansson, H.G. (2001). Echinodermata, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 336–351
* P.J. Hayward and J.S. E-Ryland (ed.), Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996,
Ophiurida
Echinoderm families
Mississippian first appearances
Extant Carboniferous first appearances
{{ophiuroidea-stub