Amphipholis squamata explained

Amphipholis squamata, common names brooding snake star and dwarf brittle star, is a species complex^{[1] [2]} of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Description

This species is small, grey to bluish-white, and phosphorescent. Brooding individuals emit more light than non-brooding individuals.^[6] It has thin, short arms around 20 mm long. The round disc is 3 to 5mm, and has a scale covering with D-shaped radial plates. It has rhombic-shaped mouth shields and extremely wide mouth papillae.

Distribution

Amphipholis squamata is found in all parts of the British Isles and also in Ireland. It has been recorded in many other parts of the world, including France^[6],New Zealand and other places, with one conference paper referring to it as a cosmopolitan species.^[7] Molecular studies have shown that there are multiple species in this complex.^[8]

Habitat

This brittle star lives in the intertidal zone in shallow water, and can be found under large stones, shells, and around sessile invertebrates such as bryozoans.

Parasites

This brittle star hosts at least two species of ectoparasites. The following two that have been confirmed are both copepods:

• Cancerilla tubulata Dalyell, 1851
• Parachordeumium amphiurae (Hérouard, 1906)

Synonyms

• Asterias noctiluca Viviani, 1805
• Ophiura elegans Leach, 1815 [suppressed]
  • Amphiura elegans (Leach, 1815)
• Asterias squamata Delle Chiaje, 1828
  • Amphioplus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
  • Amphiura squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
  • Axiognathus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
• Amphiura neglecta Forbes, 1843
• Ophiolepis tenuis Ayres, 1854
• Amphiura tenera Lütken, 1856
  • Amphipholis tenera (Lütken, 1856)
• Amphiura tenuispina Ljungman, 1865
  • Amphipholis tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865)
  • Amphipholis squamata tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865)
• Amphipholis appressa Ljungman, 1872
• Amphipholis kinbergi Ljungman, 1872
• Amphipholis lineata Ljungman, 1872
• Amphipholis patagonica Ljungman, 1872
• Amphiura parva Hutton, 1878
• Amphipholis australiana H.L. Clark, 1909
• Ophiactis minor Döderlein, 1910
  • Amphipholis minor (Döderlein, 1910)
• Amphipholis japonica Matsumoto, 1915
• Amphipholis tissieri Reys, 1961

Notes and References

1. Le Gac, M., Féral, J.P., Poulin, E., Veyret, M. & Chenuil, A. (2004) Identification of allopatric clades in the cosmopolitan ophiuroid species complex Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata). The end of a paradox? Marine Ecology Progress Series, 278: 171–178.
2. Boissin E., Feral J.P., Chenuil A. (2008) Defining reproductively isolated units in a cryptic and syntopic species complex using mitochondrial and nuclear markers: the brooding brittle star, Amphipholis squamata (Ophiuroidea). Mol Ecol 17:1732−1744
3. Web site: The Marine Life Information Network . MarLIN . 2013-12-02.
4. Web site: Amphipholis squamata - Marine Life Encyclopedia . Habitas.org.uk . 2013-12-02.
5. Web site: The World Ophiuroidea Database - Amphipholis squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828) . Marinespecies.org . 2013-12-02.
6. Deheyn . D. . Mallefet . J. . Jangoux . M. . Intraspecific Variations of Bioluminescence in a Polychromatic Population OfAmphipholis Squamata(Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) . Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom . Cambridge University Press (CUP) . 77 . 4 . 1997 . 0025-3154 . 10.1017/s0025315400038728 . 1213–1222.
7. Web site: E . Poulin . M . Florensa . Jp . Feral . L . Cornudella . V . Alva . (PDF) Selfing and outcrossing in the brood protecting ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata . ResearchGate . 1999-01-01 . 2024-08-06.
8. Sponer . Renate . Roy . Michael S. . PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE BROODING BRITTLE STAR AMPHIPHOLIS SQUAMATA (ECHINODERMATA) ALONG THE COAST OF NEW ZEALAND REVEALS HIGH CRYPTIC GENETIC VARIATION AND CRYPTIC DISPERSAL POTENTIAL . Evolution . 56 . 10 . 2002 . 0014-3820 . 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb00121.x . 1954–1967.