Amphiuridae

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Amphiuridae
Temporal range: Jurassic - present [1]
Amphipholis squamata - 02.jpg
Amphipholis squamata
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Ophiuroidea
Order: Ophiurida
Suborder: Gnathophiurina
Family: Amphiuridae
Ljungman, 1867
Genera

See text

Amphiuridae (commonly called long-armed burrowing brittle stars [2] or burrowing brittle stars) are a large family of brittle stars of the suborder Gnathophiurina. Some species are used to study echinoderm development (e.g. Amphipholis kochii [3] and Amphioplus abditus [4] ) and bioluminescence (the dwarf brittle star, Amphipholis squamata [5] [6] ).

Contents

Characteristics

Amphiuridae are generally small brittlestars. Their jaws are always with two apical papillae at the tip, and one or more papillae on each side. [7]

Systematics and phylogeny

Amphiuridae are the most diverse family of Ophiurida with over 200 species. The family contains the following genera: [8]

In addition, two extinct genera are known: [10]

Ecology

Amphiuridae are found in oceans worldwide from tropics to Arctic and Antarctic regions, with some species living in brackish water. [11] They live mostly by burrowing in the seafloor or hiding under rocks. Most of them are herbivores feeding directly on algae, or detritus feeders, using their long arms to direct organic materials towards their mouths.

Though most amphiurid brittlestars broadcast their eggs and sperm into the sea, many species in this family are "brooders" and carry their young in bursae. One species, Amphiodia akosmos from the Monterey Peninsula of California, was found with up to 11 brooding embryos in one adult (Hendler and Bundrick, 2001). [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brittle star</span> Echinoderms, closely related to starfish

Brittle stars, serpent stars, or ophiuroids are echinoderms in the class Ophiuroidea, closely related to starfish. They crawl across the sea floor using their flexible arms for locomotion. The ophiuroids generally have five long, slender, whip-like arms which may reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in length on the largest specimens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphipholis</span> Genus of echinoderms

Amphipholis is a large genus of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) found in oceans worldwide from tropics to Arctic and Antarctic regions. Some species have been used to study echinoderm development and bioluminescence.

Ophiocanops fugiens is a living species in the brittle star family Ophiocanopidae. Though once considered to be the only one living species in this brittle star family, recent research has brought to light three specimens of Ophiocanops that differ substantially from O. fugiens. It has been regarded as the most primitive brittle star, close to Paleozoic forms, though other authors have disagreed with the view. Classification of O. fugiens is highly argued. Ophiocanops is usually placed in the order Oegophiurida or regarded as a genus incertae sedis or even given its own subclass Oegophiuridea. Some recent data suggest its relationship to the extant family Ophiomyxidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ophiurina</span> Suborder of brittle stars

Ophiurina are a suborder of brittle stars containing the majority of living brittle star species.

<i>Amphiura callida</i> Species of brittle star

Amphiura callida is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Amphiuridae. It is only known from the continental shelf off the coast of Cabo Frio, southeastern Brazil.

<i>Ophiura ophiura</i> Species of brittle star

Ophiura ophiura or the serpent star is a species of brittle star in the order Ophiurida. It is typically found on coastal seabeds around northwestern Europe.

<i>Amphiodia pulchella</i> Species of brittle star

Amphiodia pulchella is a species of brittle star belonging to Amphiuridae, a diverse family of the Ophiurida order.

<i>Ophiocoma scolopendrina</i> Species of brittle star

Ophiocoma scolopendrina is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Ophiocomidae. Restricted to life in the intertidal, they live in the Indo-Pacific. They can typically be found within crevices or beneath borders on intertidal reef platforms. Unlike other Ophiocoma brittle stars, they are known for their unique way of surface-film feeding, using their arms to sweep the sea surface and trap food. Regeneration of their arms are a vital component of their physiology, allowing them to efficiently surface-film feed. These stars also have the ability to reproduce throughout the year, and have been known to have symbiotic relationships with other organisms.

<i>Amphiura filiformis</i> Species of brittle star

Amphiura filiformis is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Amphiuridae. It is found on the seabed in the north east Atlantic Ocean and adjoining seas to a depth of 200 metres (660 ft). It digs itself a shallow burrow in the sand and waves its arms in the water above to suspension feed on plankton.

<i>Amphipholis squamata</i> Species of brittle star

Amphipholis squamata, common names brooding snake star and dwarf brittle star, is a species complex of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae.

<i>Amphiura chiajei</i> Species of brittle star

Amphiura chiajei is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Amphiuridae. It is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and adjoining seas to a depth of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). It digs itself into the soft sediment of the seabed and raises its arms into the water above to suspension feed on plankton. It was first described by the British naturalist Edward Forbes in 1843, and was named for the Italian zoologist Stefano Delle Chiaje (1794–1860).

<i>Astrobrachion adhaerens</i> Species of brittle star

Astrobrachion adhaerens is a basket star in the Euryalidae family. Along with A. constrictum, it is one of only two species in the genus Astrobrachion. Both species live in association with soft corals in moderately deep water. It is endemic to the west, north and east coasts of Australia, the Kermadec Islands and Lord Howe Island.

<i>Acrocnida</i> Genus of echinoderms

Acrocnida is a genus of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae. The genus contains three members: Acrocnida brachiata, Acrocnida semisquamata, and Acrocnida spatulispina. There has also been observed hybridization between both Acrocnida brachiata and Acrocnida spatulispina. It is a fairly common genus, usually found along the coasts of Northwestern Europe, but with some species like semisquamata appearing around West Africa. Members of this genus primarily prefer intertidal and sub-tidal habitats, and they are they are less likely to be found in intertidal areas by comparison. This genus was not officially classified until 1926, by T. Gislén. One study found that due to the increased calcification that Acrocnida brachiata causes could be a potential source of Carbon Dioxide for not only the warm, shallow environments they live in, but also for the atmosphere.

Acrocnida brachiata, the sand burrowing brittlestar, is a species of brittle star in the family Amphiuridae. It occurs on the seabed in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, living semi-buried in the sand with only its arm tips projecting.

Ailsa McGown Clark (1926–2014) was a British zoologist, who principally studied echinoderms and was a specialist on asteroidea. She worked at the Natural History Museum for most of her career.

<i>Amphiodia occidentalis</i> Species of brittle star

Amphiodia occidentalis or long-armed brittle star is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Amphiuridae. It is found in the Eastern Pacific coast from Alaska to USA, often on the seafloor within intertidal and subtidal zones. Within these areas, it is often found buried a few centimeters under the sand with 2 or 3 arms extending through the surface.

Ophiomusa is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiolepididae that includes: sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers. Ophiurida are similar to starfish; they both have a central disc and five arms sprouting from the disc. One of the main distinguishing factors of an Ophiuroid is its arms; the arms of an Ophiurida are longer, thinner, and distinctly separated in comparison to those of a sea star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ophiothela mirabilis</span> Species of echinoderm

Ophiothela mirabilis is a species of ophiuroid brittle stars within the family Ophiotrichidae. O. mirabilis is an epizoic species which have a non-parasitic relationship with host sponges or gorgonians. Although native to the Pacific Ocean, it has invaded the Caribbean and southwestern Atlantic since late 2000. Many of its characteristics, including reproduction and diet, allow O. mirabilis opportunities to quickly propagate and spread through habitats.

References

  1. J. Roman, G. Breton, and C. Vadon. 1993. Ophiurides et Astéride (Echinodermata) du Tithonien de Canjuers (Var, France). Annales de Paléontologie 79(1):1-18
  2. P.Lambert, Checklist of the Echinoderms of British Columbia (April 2007), Royal British Columbia Museum
  3. Yamashita,M., Embryonic Development of the Brittle-Star Amphipholis kochii in Laboratory Culture, Biol. Bull. 169: 131-142(Aug., 1985)
  4. Hendler,G, Development of Amphioplus abditus (Verrill) (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea): I. Larval Biology,Biol.Bull., Vol.152, No.1 (Feb., 1977)
  5. P.Brehm, J.G. Morin. Localization and Characterization of Luminescent Cells in Ophiopsila californica and Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) Biological Bulletin, Vol. 152, No. 1 (Feb., 1977)
  6. Dewael Y, Mallefet J., Luminescence in ophiuroids (Echinodermata) does not share a common nervous control in all species, J Exp Biol. 2002 Mar;205
  7. Hendler,G. Ophiuroid Skeleton Ontogeny Reveals Homologies Among Skeletal Plates of Adults: A Study of Amphiura filiformis, Amphiura stimpsonii and Ophiophragmus filograneus (Echinodermata), Biol.Bull. 174:20-29.(Feb.1988)
  8. MarineSpecies.org - Amphiuridae Ljungman, 1867
  9. Formerly Micropholis Thomas, 1966 (non Huxley 1859: preoccupied)
  10. The Paleobiology Database
  11. R.L.Turner, Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Low Salinity on the Brackish-water Amphiurid Brittlestar Ophiophragmus filograneus (Lyman, 1875) From the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.Florida Scientist, Vol 70, 4 (Sept.2007)
  12. Hendler, G. & Bundrick, C. 2001. A new brooding brittle star from California (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Amphiuridae). Contributions in Science from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 486, pp 1-11