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Spiny Ophiocoma Brittle Star Sep 13, Bari Reef, night dive, Bonaire.<br />
This picture was aimed at the shy brittle star; however, notice those bright eyes inside the coral tube..I think is a crab! ..a shame I ddi not notice it at that moment. And below the coral in the right below part of the picture i think there is a conch sea snail.<br />
Anyway, description on the brittle: One of the larger brittle stars, Ophiocoma echinata can measure up to 32 mm in disk diameter and 150 mm in arm length. The spiny brittle star shares the characteristic body plan of echinoderms, with 5 arms that are well defined from the central disk. The aboral, or top, side of the star is dark brown and sometimes mottled with lighter hues. The arms are usually banded in shades of brown and the oral, or bottom, surface is white in color. The central disk is granular and exhibits a scalloped border. The mouth is located on the oral surface and consists of 5 triangular jaws, each with a central column of teeth. The arms extend out from the muscular jaws and are covered by 4 rows of shields, or calcareous plates. Each arm joint has a vertical row of 4 spines on either side. The length of the spines decease towards the tip of the arm and the spine closest to the mouth is club-shaped. Unlike the asteroids (sea stars), brittle stars have no umbulacral groove and lack the suction apparatus on the podia of the oral surface on the arms.<br />
<a href="http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ophiocoma_echinata/" rel="nofollow">http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ophiocoma_echinata/</a> Caribbean Netherlands,Geotagged,Ophiocoma echinata,Spiny ophiocoma,Summer Click/tap to enlarge Species introCountry intro

Spiny Ophiocoma Brittle Star

Sep 13, Bari Reef, night dive, Bonaire.
This picture was aimed at the shy brittle star; however, notice those bright eyes inside the coral tube..I think is a crab! ..a shame I ddi not notice it at that moment. And below the coral in the right below part of the picture i think there is a conch sea snail.
Anyway, description on the brittle: One of the larger brittle stars, Ophiocoma echinata can measure up to 32 mm in disk diameter and 150 mm in arm length. The spiny brittle star shares the characteristic body plan of echinoderms, with 5 arms that are well defined from the central disk. The aboral, or top, side of the star is dark brown and sometimes mottled with lighter hues. The arms are usually banded in shades of brown and the oral, or bottom, surface is white in color. The central disk is granular and exhibits a scalloped border. The mouth is located on the oral surface and consists of 5 triangular jaws, each with a central column of teeth. The arms extend out from the muscular jaws and are covered by 4 rows of shields, or calcareous plates. Each arm joint has a vertical row of 4 spines on either side. The length of the spines decease towards the tip of the arm and the spine closest to the mouth is club-shaped. Unlike the asteroids (sea stars), brittle stars have no umbulacral groove and lack the suction apparatus on the podia of the oral surface on the arms.
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ophiocoma_echinata/

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''Ophiocoma echinata'', the spiny ophiocoma, is a species of brittle star belonging to the family Ophiocomidae. It is the type species of the genus ''Ophiocoma'' and is found in the tropical west Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Similar species: Ophiurida
Species identified by Patomarazul
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By Patomarazul

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Uploaded Dec 29, 2017. Captured Sep 13, 2017 01:17 in Buddy Dive Resort, Kralendijk, Caribbean Netherlands.
  • XZ-1
  • f/4.0
  • 1/60s
  • ISO160
  • 6mm