species: Ophiarachnella macracantha in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Echinodermata > Asterozoa > Ophiuroidea > Ophiurida > Chilophiurina > Ophiodermatidae > Ophiarachninae > Ophiarachnella > Ophiarachnella macracantha (gallery)
Ophiarachnella macracantha


©Anne: Under a slab of rubble at the base of the reef slope at Pidgin Point, January 2009

©Anne: Under side of the same specimen as above

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Ophiuroidea
Order Ophiurida
Family Ophiodermatidae
Genus Ophiarachnella
Species Ophiarachnella macracantha
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Distinguishing features

Colour pattern as shown in the photo is distinctive. The disc is covered with granules above, except for the small, dark radial shields which are bare. On the underside, there is a supplementary plate distal to each of the large oral shields. Arm spines are short, except for the lowest which is at least as long as the arm plate, and all are erect, standing away from the arm.

Size

  • Size data has not been obtained.

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution: Ophiarachnella macracantha

Web resources

References

  • Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.
  • Coleman, N. (2007). Sea Stars: Echinoderms of the Asia/Indo-Pacific Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic, Springwood, Qld. Australia.
  • Rowe, F.W.E. and J. Gates (1995). Echinodermata in: Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33, xiii, 510 pp. Wells, A. (Ed.). CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia.