Ophiuroidea (Ophiuroids)

Brittle stars or ophiuroids are echinoderms in the class Ophiuroidea closely related to starfish. They crawl across the seafloor using their flexible arms for locomotion. The ophiuroids generally have five long slender, whip-like arms which may reach up to 60 centimetres (24 in) in length on the largest specimens. They are also known as serpent stars. Ophiuroidea contains two large clades, Ophiurida (brittle stars) and Euryalida (basket stars). Many of the ophiuroids are rarely encountered in the relatively shallow depths normally visited by humans, but they are a diverse group. There are some 1,500 species of brittle stars living today, and they are largely found in deep waters more than 500 metres (1,650 feet) down.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiuroidea

Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL178
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL185
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL192
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				OZ305
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				OZ306
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				OZ320
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				MN79
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL139
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL146
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL149
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL150
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL156
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL157
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL168
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL170
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL172
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL175
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL182
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				BL190
Ophiuroidea Gray, 1840				OZ298

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Morphology of ophiuroids (after Forbes)
a) Ophiura texturata, b) Ophiocoma neglecta (podle Forbese).
Source: http://chestofbooks.com/animals/Manual-Of-Zoology/Order-Ophiuroidea.html

Img. 84:

Img. 84:

Virtual museum of the Czech Geological Survey, www.geology.cz, (C) Czech Geological Survey, 2011, v.0.99 [13.12.2011]