Ophioderma is a genus of brittle stars in the family Ophiodermatidae. Research on the Ophiuroid rubicundum species has discovered the creatures opportunistic behaviors and ability to adapt in the circumstances of a new given environment. Alongside their high adaptability, their strong feeding responses allow them to thrive in the depths of the coral reefs seen in the western Atlantic.
Reproduction
Brittle stars can reproduce in three different ways, sexual, asexual, and larval. In sexual reproduction, they engage in broadcast spawning, which is releasing eggs and sperm in the water where external fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg turns into planktonic larvae that drift before settling on the ocean floor; then, they mature into adult brittle stars. During asexual reproduction, they reproduce through regeneration. When an arm is lost, it can regenerate and, in some species, form a new arm. This form of reproduction allows certain species to enhance their survival. And lastly, larval development, following fertilization, brittle star larvae undergo various developmental stages before transitioning into adulthood. In some species, larvae may remain attached to the parent until they can sustain themselves.
Feeding behavior Brittle stars have been observed to opportunistically feed on the spawn of various coral species. During coral spawning, the Brittle Star will coil it's arms around gamete bundles released by the coral.
Species It includes the following species:
Ophioderma africanum Stöhr, Weber, Boissin & Chenuil, 2020 Ophioderma aija Humara-Gil, Granja-Fernandez, Bautista-Guerrero, Solis-Marin & Rodriguez-Troncoso, 2024 Ophioderma anitae Hotchkiss, 1982 Ophioderma appressum (Say, 1825) Ophioderma besnardi Tommasi, 1970 Ophioderma bichi Humara-Gil, Granja-Fernandez, Bautista-Guerrero, Solis-Marin & Rodriguez-Troncoso, 2024 Ophioderma brevicaudum Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma brevispinum (Say, 1825) Ophioderma devaneyi Hendler & Miller, 1984 Ophioderma divae Tommasi, 1971 Ophioderma elaps Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma ensiferum Hendler & Miller, 1984 Ophioderma guineense Greeff, 1882 Ophioderma guttatum Lütken, 1859 Ophioderma hendleri Granja-Fernandez, Pineda-Enriquez, Solis-Marin & Laguarda-Figueras, 2020 Ophioderma holmesii (Lyman, 1860) Ophioderma hybridum Stöhr, Weber, Boissin & Chenuil, 2020 Ophioderma januarii Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma longicaudum (Bruzelius, 1805) Ophioderma occultum Humara-Gil, Granja-Fernandez, Bautista-Guerrero & Rodriguez-Troncoso, 2022 Ophioderma pallidum (Verrill, 1899) Ophioderma panamense Lütken, 1859 Ophioderma pentacanthum H.L. Clark, 1917 Ophioderma peruanum Pineda-Enriquez, Solis-Marin, Hooker & Laguarda-Figueras, 2013 Ophioderma phoenium H.L. Clark, 1918 Ophioderma propinquum Koehler, 1895 Ophioderma rubicundum Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma squamosissimum Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma teres (Lyman, 1860) Ophioderma tonganum Lütken, 1872 Ophioderma unicolor H.L. Clark, 1940 Ophioderma vansyoci Hendler, 1996 Ophioderma variegatum Lütken, 1856 Ophioderma wahlbergii Müller & Troschel, 1842 Ophioderma zibrowii Stöhr, Weber, Boissin & Chenuil, 2020 † Ophioderma bonaudoae Martinez & Del Rio, 2008 † Ophioderma delsatei Thuy, 2005 † Ophioderma dentatum Kutscher, 1988 † Ophioderma hauchecorni Eck, 1872 † Ophioderma radiatum Kutscher & Jagt, 2000 † Ophioderma spectabile Hess, 1966 † Ophioderma substriatum (Rasmussen, 1950) † Ophioderma tenuibrachiatum Forbes, 1843 † Ophioderma waliabadense Kristan-Tollmann, Tollmann & Hamedani, 1979
References