Ophiotrichidae are a family of brittle stars within the suborder Gnathophiurina.

Ophiotrichidae
Ophiothrix (Ophiothrix) foveolata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Ophiuroidea
Order: Ophiurida
Suborder: Gnathophiurina
Superfamily: Ophiactoidea
Family: Ophiotrichidae
Ljungman, 1867
Genera

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All of its species have arms with delicate, translucent, thorny spines. Their arms are flexible in all directions. Their jaws contain clusters of well-developed tooth papillae on the apex but not on the sides. There are no mouth papillae. Inside the mouth edge there is a second pair of tube feet. They show large radial shields. The dorsal surface of the disc is covered with spines and thorny towers.

Systematics

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Ophiotrichidae contains the following genera:[1]


References

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  • 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
  • Stöhr, S.; Hansson, H. (2009). Ophiotrichidae. In: Stöhr, S., O’Hara, T. (Eds) (2009). World Ophiuroidea database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at [1] on 2010-06-16
  • P.J. Hayward and J.S. Ryland (ed.), Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996, ISBN 0-19-854055-8