| Ophiopsila aranea | |
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| The brittle star Ophiopsila aranea, Borden Rock, North Cornwall, England, 23m, 13 July 2013. | |
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| Species: | O. aranea |
| Binomial name | |
| Ophiopsila aranea Forbes, 1843 | |
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Ophiopsila aranea is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Ophiocomidae. It is the type species of the genus Ophiopsila
“I have thought it necessary to constitute a genus for the reception of a naked-bodied, long-armed Ophiura, which is not uncommon in the seas of the Archipelago. It combines some of the characters of Ophiomyxa with some of those of the following genus, and has a habit peculiar to itself. But one species occurs. It has a round disc, sometimes lobed between the rays, flat, coriaceous and smooth. There are two linear nearly parallel separate shields opposite the origin of each ray. The upper ray-scales are square and minutely granulated; the lower ones are quadrangular, with lunate sides. Each lateral ray-plate bears six spathulate spines, the lowest but one of which is longer than the rest, and the lowest smaller. In dead specimens the last laps over the ray-plate, so that its apex meets that of its fellow on the opposite side. The spines can lap close to the rays, except the undermost ones. The longest spines do not quite equal in length the breadth of the ray. The rays are 6½ times as long as the breadth of the disc. The ovarian plates are small and sub-pentagonal. When alive, the colours are brilliant shades of brown, morone [maroon], or orange: when dead, the creature is of a purplish brown. It inhabits various depths above 40 fathoms.” [1]
Aegean Sea.
aranea = Latin: spider web
A large brittle star with long banded arms which lives in crevices. The arms are banded with light and dark brown and there is a reticulate mottled pattern of brown on the disc. The arm spines are flattened and arranged in groups of 6-8. The tentacle scales are shorter than those of Ophiopsila annulosa but still exceptionally large. Disc 10mm. arms 9x disc diameter. [2]
Reported from the Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, on Atlantic coasts as far north as Great Britain and Ireland. In Great Britain only recorded from the south-west including the Mewstone near Plymouth and North Cornwall. Also known from Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland.
Lives in crevices and extends the long arms out into the water. Found at depths of 20-40m in the sublittoral zone.
Palinurus elephas is a commonly caught species of spiny lobster from the East Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Its common names include European spiny lobster, crayfish or cray, crawfish, common spiny lobster, Mediterranean lobster and red lobster.
Astropecten aranciacus, the red comb star, is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae. It is native to the east Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The piper gurnard, also known as the piper or the lyre gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trigla.
Ophiothrix fragilis is a species of brittle star in the order Ophiurida. It is found around the coasts of western Europe and is known in Britain as the common brittle star. It is also found along the coast of South Africa where it is known as the hairy brittle star.
Luidia ciliaris, the seven-armed sea star, is a species of sea star (starfish) in the family Luidiidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Ophiocomina nigra, commonly known as the black brittle star or black serpent star, is a species of marine invertebrate in the order Ophiurida. It occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Astropecten bispinosus is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae from the Mediterranean Sea.
Astropecten platyacanthus is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae.
Astropecten jonstoni is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae.
Luidia senegalensis, the nine-armed sea star, is a tropical species of starfish in the family Luidiidae found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Ophiura albida is a species of brittle star in the order Ophiurida. It is typically found on the seabed in the north eastern Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea and is sometimes known as the serpent's table 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.
Adyte hyalina is a species of marine annelids in the family Polynoidae and the only accepted species in the genus Adyte. Adyte hyalina occurs in the North-east Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, at depths down to about 150 metres.
The longfin gurnard, the long-finned gurnard or shining gurnard, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.
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).
Ophiocoma echinata, the spiny ophiocoma, is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Ophiocomidae. It is the type species of the genus Ophiocoma and is found in the tropical west Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Ophiopholis aculeata, the crevice brittle star or daisy brittle star, is a species of brittle star in the family Ophiactidae. It has a circum-polar distribution and is found in the Arctic Ocean, the northern Atlantic Ocean and the northern Pacific.
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.
Ophiopsila annulosa is a species of brittle stars belonging to the family Ophiocomidae.
Amphiodia urtica, commonly known as the burrowing brittle star or the long arm brittle star, is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Amphiuridae. It is found on the Pacific coast of North America at depths down to about 370 m (1,200 ft).