Ophiocanops fugiens

Ophiocanops fugiens
Ophiocanops fugiens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Ophiuroidea
Order: incertae sedis
Family: Ophiocanopidae
Genus: Ophiocanops
Species: Ophiocanops fugiens
Koehler, 1922

Ophiocanops fugiens is the only one living species in the brittle star family Ophiocanopidae. It has been regarded as the most primitive brittle star, close to paleozoic forms[1], though other authors have disagreed with the view[2]. Ophiocanops is usually placed in the order Oegophiurida (suborder Zeugophiurina) or regarded as a genus incertae sedis[3] or even given its own subclass Oegophiuridea[4]. Some recent data suggest its relationship to the extant family Ophiomyxidae (it would thus belong to the order Phrynophiurida)[5].

Characteristics

Arms lack dorsal and ventral shields. Madreporite is on edge of central disc. Digestive glands extend into proximal portions of arms. It has no bursae for gonads and gas exchange/excretion[6].

Ecology

Ophiocanops fugiens is a rare species found in South Asian seas[7]. Its habitat is shallow water[8] and it lives in association with black corals[9].

References

  1. ^ Mortensen, Th., On an extraordinary ophiurid, Ophiocanops fugiens Koehler. With remarks on Astrogymnotes, Ophiopteron, and on an albino Ophiocoma. Papers from Dr. Th. Mortensen's Pacific expedition 1914-16. LX. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk naturhistorisk Forening i Kobenhaven 93.1933
  2. ^ Hotchkiss,F.H.C, Ophiuroid Ophiocanops (Echinodermata) not a living fossil, Journal of Natural History, Vol.11, No.4, 1977
  3. ^ The World Ophiuroidea Database - Ophiocanops Koehler, 1922
  4. ^ Smith, A.B.; Paterson, G.L.J. . Ophiuroid phylogeny and higher taxonomy: morphological, molecular and palaeontological perspectives. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 114 (1995)
  5. ^ Pearse,V.B. et al.,(1998) An accessible population of Ophiocanops off NE Sulawesi,Indonesia. In: Mooi, R. & Telford, M. (Eds.) Echinoderms: San Francisco. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 413–418
  6. ^ R.C.Brusca, G.J.Brusca. Invertebrates. Sinauer Associates, 2 ed.(2003)
  7. ^ Ophiocanops (Genus)
  8. ^ Guille,A.,Les Ophiurides des marges continentales de la région des Philippines-Indonésie Distribution Bathymétrique et étagement. In:Echinoderms: Proceedings of the European Colloquium on Echinoderms, Brussels 1979
  9. ^ Fujita,T.S. et al. 2001. Biology of a rare ophiuroid Ophiocanops fugiens Koehler, 1922 (Echinodermata) associated with black corals, with notes on the specimens collected from Lembeh Strait, Bitung, Indonesia. In: Terazaki,M.A.et al., eds. Proceedings of the 11th JSPS Joint Seminar on Marine Science. Center for International Cooperation, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, pp. 326-333


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