species: Cryptopelta granulifera in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Echinodermata > Ophiuroidea > Ophiurida > Ophiodermatidae > Cryptopelta > Cryptopelta granulifera (gallery)
Cryptopelta granulifera


©Anne Hoggett: Cryptopelta granulifera at Lizard Island. Disc diameter about 15 mm. Under slab of rubble on sand at base of reef slope.

©Anne Hoggett: Cryptopelta granulifera at Lizard Island. Disc diameter about 15 mm. Under slab of rubble on sand at base of reef slope.

©Anne Hoggett: Underside of Cryptopelta granulifera.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Ophiuroidea
Order Ophiurida
Family Ophiodermatidae
Genus Cryptopelta
Species Cryptopelta granulifera

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

Brightly coloured disc (white spots on orange/red) and thin banded arms (grey/white, red, brown/green). Arms white on the underside, not banded. 

Disc is covered with very fine granules whch extend onto the plates around the mouth on the underside. Shape and ornamentation on jaws is distinctive as shown in the photo. 

Size

  • Up to 1.5 cm (Disc diameter)
  • Up to 7 cm (Arm length)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island: Cryptic so not often seen. Probably uncommon.

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • 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.