Ophiarachnella macracantha
©Anne Hoggett: Ophiarachnella macracantha found under rubble on the outer slope of Yonge Reef near Lizard Island.
©Anne Hoggett: Ophiarachnella macracantha found under rubble on the outer slope of Yonge Reef near Lizard Island.
©Anne Hoggett: Ophiarachnella macracantha found under a slab of rubble at the base of the reef slope at Pidgin Point, Lizard Island.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Ophiuroidea
Order
Ophiurida
Family
Ophiodermatidae
Genus
Ophiarachnella
Species
Ophiarachnella macracantha
Colours
Distinguishing features
Colour pattern as shown in the photos is distinctive. The disc is covered with granules above, except for the small, dark radial shields which are bare. On the underside, there is a supplementary plate distal to each of the large oral shields. Arm spines are short, except for the lowest which is at least as long as the arm plate, and all are erect, standing away from the arm.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
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.
Other references
- Rowe, F.W.E. and J. Gates (1995). Echinodermata in: Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 33, xiii, 510 pp. Wells, A. (Ed.). CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia.