Ophiuroidea
Ophiuroidea
Ophiuroidea (pronounced: oh-fee-uh-roy-dee-uh) is a class within the phylum Echinodermata, which also includes sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. The name Ophiuroidea is derived from the Ancient Greek words "ophis" meaning snake and "oura" meaning tail, referring to the long, flexible arms of these creatures.
Etymology
The term Ophiuroidea is derived from the Ancient Greek "ophis" (ὄφις), meaning "snake", and "oura" (οὐρά), meaning "tail". This is in reference to the long, slender, and flexible arms of these creatures, which can be likened to the tail of a snake.
Description
Ophiuroidea, commonly known as brittle stars or basket stars, are a large and diverse group of echinoderms. They are characterized by their long, slender, and highly flexible arms which are distinctly set off from the central disk. Unlike their close relatives, the sea stars, the arms of Ophiuroidea are not used for locomotion. Instead, they move by lashing out their arms in a characteristic rowing motion.
Classification
Ophiuroidea is divided into two main orders: Ophiurida and Euryalida. Ophiurida, or brittle stars, are typically found in benthic habitats, while Euryalida, or basket stars, are usually found in deeper waters.
Related Terms
- Echinodermata: The phylum to which Ophiuroidea belongs.
- Asteroidea: A class within the phylum Echinodermata, closely related to Ophiuroidea.
- Ophiurida: An order within the class Ophiuroidea, commonly known as brittle stars.
- Euryalida: An order within the class Ophiuroidea, commonly known as basket stars.
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.