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.
Astropecten is a genus of sea stars of the family Astropectinidae.
The Ophiurida are an order of echinoderms within the class Ophiuroidea. It includes the vast majority of living brittle stars.
Ophiopholis is a genus of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) found in oceans worldwide from tropics to temperate regions.
Ophiactidae are a family of brittle stars.
Ophiuridae are a large family of brittle stars of the suborder Ophiurina.
Gorgonocephalus is a genus of marine basket stars in the class Ophiuroidea. Members of this genus are found in coldwater environments including the Arctic, the Antarctic, and deep-sea habitats. The scientific name comes from the Greek, gorgós meaning "dreaded" and -cephalus meaning "head", and refers to the similarity between these echinoids and the Gorgon's head from Greek myth with its coiled serpents for hair.
Ophioderma is a genus of brittle stars in the family Ophiodermatidae.
Cucumariidae is a family of sea cucumbers, marine animals with elongated bodies, leathery skins and tentacles that are found on the sea bed.
Luidia is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution.
Amphipholis squamata, common names brooding snake star and dwarf brittle star, is a species complex of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae.
Ophiactis is a genus of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea).
Ophiacanthidae is a family of brittle stars. Axel Vilhelm Ljungman circumscribed this taxon in 1867; he initially named the subfamily Ophiacanthinae within the family Amphiuridae. Gordon L. J. Paterson promoted its rank to family in 1985.
Ophiura is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiuridae.
Ophiarachnella is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophiodermatidae.
Ophionereis is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Ophionereididae.
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.
Macrophiothrix is a genus of brittle stars.
