Macrophiothrix nereidina
©Mike Bok: Macrophiothrix nereidina from coral rubble near the reef crest off Bird Islet, Lizard Island Group (lab photo).
©Mike Bok: Macrophiothrix nereidina from coral rubble near the reef crest off Bird Islet, Lizard Island Group (lab photo).
©Anne Hoggett: Macrophiothrix nereidina at Lizard Island (from under rubble, unusual six-armed specimen)
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Ophiuroidea
Order
Ophiurida
Family
Ophiotrichidae
Genus
Macrophiothrix
Species
Macrophiothrix nereidina
Colours
Distinguishing features
This moderately large brittle star is unmistakeable due to its consistent and striking colour pattern: deep blue approaching purple on the disc and arms with narrow transverse pale bands on the arms. Sometimes the bands are finely bordered with orange. Most specimens have five arms, rarely six.
Size
- Up to 2 cm (Disc diameter)
- Up to 15 cm (Arm length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: Common but rarely seen because it lives under rubble and other things.
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.
- Hoggett, A.K. (1991). The genus Macrophiothrix (Ophiuroidea: Ophiotrichidae) in Australian waters, Invertebrate Taxonomy, 4: 1077-1146. LIRS catalog number 293.
- View all references