Kingdom Animalia Class Ophiuroidea Family Ophiocanopidae Rank Species | Phylum Echinodermata Order incertae sedis Genus Ophiocanops | |
Similar Phrynophiurida, Ophiocomidae, Ophiodermatidae, Ophiotrichidae, Amphiuridae | ||
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, though other authors have disagreed with the view. Ophiocanops is usually placed in the order Oegophiurida (suborder Zeugophiurina) or regarded as a genus incertae sedis or even given its own subclass Oegophiuridea. Some recent data suggest its relationship to the extant family Ophiomyxidae (it would thus belong to the order Phrynophiurida).
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Characteristics
The arms lack dorsal and ventral shields; the madreporite is on edge of central disc. The digestive glands extend into proximal portions of arms. It has no bursae for gonads and gas exchange/excretion.
Ecology
Ophiocanops fugiens is a rare species found in South Asian seas. Its habitat is shallow water and it lives in association with black corals.