Ophiurina Explained

Ophiurina are a suborder of brittle stars containing the majority of living brittle star species.

Systematics

There is currently no consensus as to the subdivision of the Ophiurina (traditionally, the infraorders have been treated as suborders). It contains the genera Amphiura, Amphipholis, and Ophiacantha.

The suborder has been divided into the following recent infraorders and families

^[1]

• Ophiacanthidae

Hemieuryalina

• Hemieuryalidae

Chilophiurina

• Ophiuridae

Gnathophiurina

• Amphilepididae
• Amphiuridae
• Ophiothricidae
• Ophiactidae
• Ophionereididae
• Ophiocomidae

Ophiodermatina

• Ophiochitonidae
• Ophiodermatidae
• Ophiolepidina
• Ophiolepididae

Notes and References

1. Smith, A.B.; Paterson, G.L.J., Ophiuroid phylogeny and higher taxonomy: morphological, molecular and palaeontological perspectives. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 114 (1995)