313:
the surface. On the underside the granules are restricted to the outer portion and the plates are visible towards the central mouth. This is surrounded by the feeding apparatus known as
Aristotle's lantern with five toothed jaws each with oval jaw plates. There is a comb-like arrangement of spines down either side of the arms giving them a bristly appearance. On the upper side, each arm segment is covered by a broad plate with 5 to 7 spines. On the underside there are tube feet but these have no suckers.
55:
806:
792:
33:
429:, or a mixed community of the two. The vast social agglomerations can be advantageous in enabling the brittle stars to filter feed in fast moving currents which would otherwise sweep them away. Often the bed consists of adults and newly settled juveniles, with intermediate sized individuals living elsewhere. Other
312:
with five narrow arms up to 125mm long and a quite distinct central disc which is up to 25mm wide. The general colour is black or varying shades of brown, but pale coloured specimens occasionally occur. The upper surface of the disc is covered with fine granules which obscure the plates which cover
371:
films. As a suspension feeder, it raises one or more arms into the current of water flowing past. There is a net of mucous threads among the spines on the arms which trap plankton and other organic floating matter. These are then rolled into boluses and transported to the mouth by ciliary currents
420:
with hundreds of brittle stars per square metre. These beds may extend several hundred square metres over sandy and pebbly sediment on the sea floor and contain millions of brittle stars. These can be either
1127:
969:
1008:
367:. It catches pieces of organic detritus and small invertebrate prey with its arms and thrusts them into its mouth. It can scavenge from carcases or graze on
399:
and settle out after several months. The species seems to be slow-growing and long-lived, not becoming mature before the age of three or four years.
1114:
943:
1178:
982:
387:. A large female is often found in association with a smaller male, which clings above or below her. Fertilisation however takes place in the
1034:
1173:
1183:
930:
584:
1140:
1073:
560:
636:
987:
995:
796:
891:
611:
344:
down to about one hundred metres but is occasionally found at greater depths. It is tolerant of low salinity levels.
54:
1013:
737:
170:
651:
1168:
831:
507:
896:
869:
810:
467:
149:
1145:
1078:
917:
878:
548:
497:
451:
417:
412:
166:
1065:
491:
461:
179:
49:
630:
1132:
974:
717:
1047:
904:
337:
1052:
770:
677:
517:
297:. It occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
1021:
883:
523:
445:
439:
291:
527:, may be semi-buried in the sediment and surrounded by an area clear of brittle stars.
473:
380:
1162:
364:
106:
1105:
909:
479:
388:
341:
309:
287:
116:
96:
1060:
1000:
956:
863:
512:
485:
360:
271:
126:
854:
805:
774:
681:
456:
430:
86:
819:
495:. On rocky outcrops among the seething mass of brittle stars the soft coral,
935:
434:
356:
333:
294:
66:
1026:
791:
1099:
848:
757:
Warner, G. F. (1971). "On the ecology of a dense bed of the brittle-star
723:
Encyclopedia of Marine Life of
Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
502:
396:
384:
1119:
948:
283:
32:
961:
392:
329:
325:
76:
825:
44:, Strangford Lough, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, 20 m, 24 July 2007.
433:
likely to be in the same vicinity (and enjoying the feast) are the
763:
Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom
670:
Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom
664:
Fontaine, A. R. (1965). "The feeding mechanisms of the ophiuroid
416:. Numerous individuals of these two species sometimes form dense
1039:
410:
is often found living in association with another brittle star,
368:
922:
829:
618:
Marine
Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
747:
1089:
838:
340:. It is found on rocks, boulders and gravel in the
745:brittlestar beds on sublittoral mixed sediment
695:Gorzula, S.J. (1979). "Breeding behaviour of
579:
577:
8:
826:
471:. Also present are likely to be the crabs
324:occurs in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from
31:
20:
626:
624:
521:, are often found. Another sea anemone,
543:
541:
539:
535:
733:
731:
729:
647:
645:
607:
605:
603:
601:
699:(Abildgaard) in the Firth of Clyde".
186:
7:
583:Palomares ML, Pauly D, eds. (2022).
240:(Abildgaard, in O.F. Müller, 1789)
652:Ecology of Bed-Forming Brittlestars
553:(Abildgaard in O.F. Müller, 1789)"
14:
192:Abildgaard in O.F. Müller, 1789
804:
790:
561:World Register of Marine Species
53:
637:Marine Life Information Network
391:and is a chance meeting of two
1179:Fauna of the Mediterranean Sea
1:
248:Müller & Troschel, 1842
1174:Fauna of the Atlantic Ocean
379:takes place in June in the
1200:
1184:Animals described in 1789
775:10.1017/S0025315400031775
682:10.1017/S0025315400054904
221:Ophiacantha valenciennesi
185:
178:
155:
148:
50:Scientific classification
48:
39:
30:
23:
595:. December 2022 version.
317:Distribution and habitat
224:sensu Lieberkind, 1929
40:The black brittle star,
639:. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
489:, and the hermit crab,
701:The Western Naturalist
822:on Sealife Collection
654:Retrieved 2011-08-31.
468:Psammechinus miliaris
16:Species of echinoderm
801:at Wikimedia Commons
612:Black Brittle Star (
508:Nemertesia antennina
759:Ophiothrix fragilis
739:Ophiothrix fragilis
631:Black brittlestar:
498:Alcyonium digitatum
452:Crossaster papposus
413:Ophiothrix fragilis
372:and the tube feet.
229:Ophiocoma granulata
721:(Abildgaard, 1789)
492:Pagurus bernhardus
462:Echinus esculentus
280:black serpent star
276:black brittle star
245:Ophiocoma nilssoni
1156:
1155:
1048:Open Tree of Life
884:Ophiocomina_nigra
870:Ophiocomina nigra
840:Ophiocomina nigra
832:Taxon identifiers
820:Ophiocomina nigra
812:Ophiocomina nigra
798:Ophiocomina nigra
795:Media related to
743:Ophiocomina nigra
719:Ophiocomina nigra
697:Ophiocomina nigra
666:Ophiocomina nigra
633:Ophiocomina nigra
614:Ophiocomina nigra
587:Ophiocomina nigra
551:Ophiocomina nigra
395:. The larvae are
338:Mediterranean Sea
267:Ophiocomina nigra
263:
262:
257:
249:
241:
233:
225:
217:
216:Mortensen, 1933
213:Ophiacantha danae
209:
208:Mortensen, 1933
193:
159:Ophiocomina nigra
42:Ophiocomina nigra
25:Ophiocomina nigra
1191:
1149:
1148:
1136:
1135:
1123:
1122:
1110:
1109:
1108:
1082:
1081:
1069:
1068:
1056:
1055:
1043:
1042:
1030:
1029:
1017:
1016:
1004:
1003:
1001:NHMSYS0021054171
991:
990:
978:
977:
965:
964:
952:
951:
939:
938:
926:
925:
913:
912:
900:
899:
887:
886:
874:
873:
872:
859:
858:
857:
827:
809:Data related to
808:
794:
779:
778:
754:
748:
735:
724:
715:
709:
708:
692:
686:
685:
661:
655:
649:
640:
628:
619:
609:
596:
581:
572:
571:
569:
567:
545:
518:Metridium senile
486:Liocarcinus spp.
427:O. fragilis
256:G.O. Sars, 1872
255:
253:Ophiocoma raschi
247:
239:
231:
223:
215:
207:
204:
200:
191:
161:
58:
57:
35:
21:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1193:
1192:
1190:
1189:
1188:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1152:
1144:
1139:
1131:
1126:
1118:
1113:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1085:
1077:
1072:
1064:
1059:
1051:
1046:
1038:
1033:
1025:
1022:Observation.org
1020:
1012:
1007:
999:
994:
986:
981:
973:
968:
960:
955:
947:
942:
934:
929:
921:
916:
908:
903:
895:
890:
882:
877:
868:
867:
862:
853:
852:
847:
834:
787:
782:
756:
755:
751:
736:
727:
716:
712:
694:
693:
689:
663:
662:
658:
650:
643:
629:
622:
610:
599:
582:
575:
565:
563:
547:
546:
537:
533:
524:Urticina felina
446:Luidia ciliaris
440:Asterias rubens
405:
350:
332:, and also the
319:
303:
237:Ophiocoma nigru
202:
198:
174:
163:
157:
144:
52:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1197:
1195:
1187:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1161:
1160:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1150:
1137:
1124:
1111:
1095:
1093:
1091:Asterias nigra
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1070:
1057:
1044:
1031:
1018:
1005:
992:
979:
966:
953:
940:
927:
914:
901:
888:
875:
860:
844:
842:
836:
835:
830:
824:
823:
816:
815:at Wikispecies
802:
786:
785:External links
783:
781:
780:
769:(2): 267–282.
749:
725:
710:
687:
676:(2): 373–385.
656:
641:
620:
597:
573:
534:
532:
529:
474:Cancer pagurus
404:
401:
381:Firth of Clyde
349:
346:
318:
315:
302:
299:
261:
260:
259:
258:
250:
242:
234:
232:Forbes, 1839
226:
218:
210:
194:
189:Asterias nigra
183:
182:
176:
175:
164:
153:
152:
146:
145:
138:
136:
132:
131:
124:
120:
119:
114:
110:
109:
104:
100:
99:
94:
90:
89:
84:
80:
79:
74:
70:
69:
64:
60:
59:
46:
45:
37:
36:
28:
27:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1196:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1169:Ophiacanthida
1167:
1166:
1164:
1147:
1142:
1138:
1134:
1129:
1125:
1121:
1116:
1112:
1107:
1101:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1080:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1062:
1058:
1054:
1049:
1045:
1041:
1036:
1032:
1028:
1023:
1019:
1015:
1010:
1006:
1002:
997:
993:
989:
984:
980:
976:
971:
967:
963:
958:
954:
950:
945:
941:
937:
932:
928:
924:
919:
915:
911:
906:
902:
898:
893:
889:
885:
880:
876:
871:
865:
861:
856:
850:
846:
845:
843:
841:
837:
833:
828:
821:
817:
814:
813:
807:
803:
800:
799:
793:
789:
788:
784:
776:
772:
768:
764:
760:
753:
750:
746:
744:
740:
734:
732:
730:
726:
722:
720:
714:
711:
706:
702:
698:
691:
688:
683:
679:
675:
671:
667:
660:
657:
653:
648:
646:
642:
638:
635:
634:
627:
625:
621:
617:
615:
608:
606:
604:
602:
598:
594:
590:
588:
580:
578:
574:
562:
558:
554:
552:
544:
542:
540:
536:
530:
528:
526:
525:
520:
519:
514:
510:
509:
504:
500:
499:
494:
493:
488:
487:
482:
481:
476:
475:
470:
469:
464:
463:
458:
454:
453:
448:
447:
442:
441:
436:
432:
428:
424:
423:O. nigra
419:
415:
414:
409:
408:O. nigra
402:
400:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
378:
377:O. nigra
373:
370:
366:
365:filter feeder
362:
358:
354:
353:O. nigra
347:
345:
343:
339:
335:
331:
328:south to the
327:
323:
322:O. nigra
316:
314:
311:
307:
306:O. nigra
300:
298:
296:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
274:known as the
273:
269:
268:
254:
251:
246:
243:
238:
235:
230:
227:
222:
219:
214:
211:
206:
195:
190:
187:
184:
181:
177:
172:
168:
162:
160:
154:
151:
150:Binomial name
147:
143:
142:
141:O. nigra
137:
134:
133:
130:
129:
125:
122:
121:
118:
115:
112:
111:
108:
107:Ophiacanthida
105:
102:
101:
98:
95:
92:
91:
88:
87:Echinodermata
85:
82:
81:
78:
75:
72:
71:
68:
65:
62:
61:
56:
51:
47:
43:
38:
34:
29:
26:
22:
19:
1090:
839:
811:
797:
766:
762:
758:
752:
742:
738:
718:
713:
704:
700:
696:
690:
673:
669:
665:
659:
632:
613:
592:
586:
564:. Retrieved
556:
550:
522:
516:
506:
496:
490:
484:
480:Necora puber
478:
472:
466:
460:
450:
444:
438:
426:
422:
411:
407:
406:
389:water column
376:
375:Breeding of
374:
352:
351:
342:neritic zone
321:
320:
310:brittle star
305:
304:
288:invertebrate
279:
275:
266:
265:
264:
252:
244:
236:
228:
220:
212:
197:Ophiacantha
196:
188:
158:
156:
140:
139:
127:
117:Ophiotomidae
41:
24:
18:
1061:SeaLifeBase
957:iNaturalist
864:Wikispecies
593:SeaLifeBase
513:sea anemone
457:sea urchins
431:echinoderms
418:communities
308:is a large
301:Description
171:O.F. Müller
128:Ophiocomina
97:Ophiuroidea
1163:Categories
1106:Q129299780
818:Photos of
531:References
437:starfish,
397:planktonic
286:of marine
201:Ophiotreta
167:Abildgaard
435:predatory
361:scavenger
334:North Sea
295:Ophiurida
135:Species:
73:Kingdom:
67:Eukaryota
1133:11443992
1100:Wikidata
975:11230540
855:Q2342919
849:Wikidata
707:: 47–67.
566:4 August
511:and the
455:and the
385:Scotland
357:predator
336:and the
272:commonly
180:Synonyms
113:Family:
83:Phylum:
77:Animalia
63:Domain:
1120:7901226
949:2275361
741:and/or
503:hydroid
403:Ecology
393:gametes
348:Biology
290:in the
284:species
282:, is a
173:, 1789)
123:Genus:
103:Order:
93:Class:
1146:123758
1079:125027
1053:368806
1040:125027
1027:187308
988:157490
962:210283
923:598331
897:219483
501:, the
330:Azores
326:Norway
1141:WoRMS
1128:IRMNG
1074:WoRMS
1066:49019
1014:55617
970:IRMNG
936:45027
931:EUNIS
910:49WJF
557:WoRMS
369:algal
355:is a
292:order
205:danae
1115:GBIF
1035:OBIS
1009:NCBI
983:ITIS
944:GBIF
892:BOLD
568:2023
483:and
465:and
449:and
363:and
996:NBN
918:EoL
905:CoL
879:ADW
771:doi
761:".
678:doi
668:".
591:in
443:,
425:or
278:or
169:in
1165::
1143::
1130::
1117::
1102::
1076::
1063::
1050::
1037::
1024::
1011::
998::
985::
972::
959::
946::
933::
920::
907::
894::
881::
866::
851::
767:51
765:.
728:^
703:.
674:45
672:.
644:^
623:^
600:^
576:^
559:.
555:.
538:^
515:,
505:,
477:,
459:,
383:,
359:,
270:,
777:.
773::
705:8
684:.
680::
616:)
589:"
585:"
570:.
549:"
203:)
199:(
165:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
