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Family: Ophiotrichidae
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: From shallow to deep-reef zones, in mangroves, and even in silty lagoons, where there are suitable hosts such as a gorgonians, sponges, and fire corals. Distribution: Caribbean, Texas and Mexican offshore reefs. Natural History Notes: The hosts of this species include at least five sponge genera. Individuals are apparent on their hosts during the day, and adopt an elevated feeding posture at night. The brittle star is a passive suspension feeder, taking in fine particles adhering to mucus on the spines and tube feet. The species breeds year-round with seasonal spawning peaks; individuals have asynchronous breeding cycles within populations. Ripe adults have 10 multilobed gonads; testes are pink and ovaries are orange. Females have up to 47,500 small eggs (0.13 mm in diameter). Larva develop into a four-armed ophiopluteus in 10 days. Characteristics: This brittle star grows to 10 mm in disk diameter with arms 101 mm long. Its arm spines are long and needlelike. At the outer edge of each radial shield is a row of scales that contrasts in color with the surrounding surface of the disk. Like its congeners, this species has dental papillae at the apex of each jaw, but lacks oral papillae. The dorsal surface of the arm has a black, purple, or crimson stripe running its length. The ground color of the disk and arms is gray, tawny, lavender, pink, orange, red, or dark purple. |
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