Ophiocomina nigra
| Ophiocomina nigra | |
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| The Black Brittle Star, Ophiocomina nigra, Strangford Lough, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, 20 m, 24 July 2007. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Subphylum: | Eleutherozoa |
| Class: | Ophiuroidea |
| Order: | Ophiurida |
| Suborder: | Ophiurina |
| Family: | Ophiocomidae |
| Genus: | Ophiocomina |
| Species: | O. nigra |
| Binomial name | |
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Ophiocomina nigra (Abildgaard, in O.F. Müller, 1789) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Ophiocomina nigra, commonly known as the black brittle star or black serpent star, is a species of marine invertebrate in the order Ophiurida. It occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
O. nigra is a large brittle star with five narrow arms up to 125mm long and a quite distinct central disc which is up to 25mm wide. The general colour is black or varying shades of brown, but pale coloured specimens occasionally occur. The upper surface of the disc is covered with fine granules which obscure the plates which cover the surface. On the underside the granules are restricted to the outer portion and the plates are visible towards the central mouth. This is surrounded by the feeding apparatus known as Aristotle's lantern with five toothed jaws each with oval jaw plates. There is a comb-like arrangement of spines down either side of the arms giving them a bristly appearance. On the upper side, each arm segment is covered by a broad plate with 5 to 7 spines. On the underside there are tube feet but these have no suckers.
O. nigra occurs in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway south to the Azores, and also the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is found on rocks, boulders and gravel in the neritic zone down to about one hundred metres but is occasionally found at greater depths. It is tolerant of low salinity levels.
O. nigra is a predator, scavenger and filter feeder. It catches pieces of organic detritus and small invertebrate prey with its arms and thrusts them into its mouth. It can scavenge from carcases or graze on algal films. As a suspension feeder, it raises one or more arms into the current of water flowing past. There is a net of mucous threads among the spines on the arms which trap plankton and other organic floating matter. These are then rolled into boluses and transported to the mouth by ciliary currents and the tube feet.
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