Bocas Species Database

Habitat: All reef zones and in seagrass beds.   Distribution: Caribbean   Natural History Notes: The species is conspicuous and abundant, reaching densities as high as 400 individuals per square meter and 100 individuals per liter of algae. The species is relatively unpalatable to fish, but is attacked by wrasses, parrotfish, and pufferfish, and also by the polychaete worm Eunice rubra and the brittle star Ophioderma brevispinum. It is a suspension feeder, and may also deposit feed. The species reproduces sexually, and individuals have 10 whitish testes or brownish ovaries. A ripe female releases large, yolky eggs (0.25 mm in diameter) which produce a short-lived, two-armed, yolky ophiopluteus. After 4 days of development, metamorphosed juveniles detach from the larval arms.   Characteristics: This brittle star reaches 12 mm in disk diameter with arms 65 mm long. Like other Ophithix species, the jaws have dental papillae but lack oral papillae. The ground color of the species is green-brown, red-brown, blue, purple, or gray. Bands of the ground color on the arms are interrupted by thin yellow or whitish lines that are bordered on each side by a thin black line.