Dorsal (left) and ventral views. The disk is flat with tile-like dorsal scales of brown, black and white.
The ventral side is mostly white. Disk sizes are less than 2 cm, with arms 4 to 6 cm in length.
| Abundance: very common (most abundant brittle star observed) | Distribution:
inner shelf to outer shelf (10-50 m) |
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Dorsal (left) and ventral
views. The disk is flat with tile-like dorsal scales of brown, black and white.
The ventral side is mostly white. Disk sizes are less than 2 cm, with arms 4
to 6 cm in length.
Arms of this species are
relatively short, compared
with the disk diameter. They are banded only on the
dorsal side, with contrasting colors.
Coloration of the disk's
dorsal side has wide variation, though the scale patterns
are consistent. Note the small scales that surround the larger scales.
Ventral side detail: Tube
feet are almost completely retracted into the tentacle pores,
along each edge of the arms. One tube foot can be seen on the upper right arm.Two
swollen scales at the edge of the disk (foreground) are common on this species.
These ventral views show
a specimen with the mouth open (left) and closed. A set of
five jaws comprise the mouth. Each jaw has a tooth and several pairs of oral
papillae.
The disk of this juvenile
is
less than 0.5 cm. (This specimen
may be O. brevicaudum.)
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