Abstract
This review presents a comprehensive overview of the current status regarding the global diversity of the echinoderm class Ophiuroidea, focussing on taxonomy and distribution patterns, with brief introduction to their anatomy, biology, phylogeny, and palaeontological history. A glossary of terms is provided. Species names and taxonomic decisions have been extracted from the literature and compiled in The World Ophiuroidea Database, part of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Ophiuroidea, with 2064 known species, are the largest class of Echinodermata. A table presents 16 families with numbers of genera and species. The largest are Amphiuridae (467), Ophiuridae (344 species) and Ophiacanthidae (319 species). A biogeographic analysis for all world oceans and all accepted species was performed, based on published distribution records. Approximately similar numbers of species were recorded from the shelf (n = 1313) and bathyal depth strata (1297). The Indo-Pacific region had the highest species richness overall (825 species) and at all depths. Adjacent regions were also relatively species rich, including the North Pacific (398), South Pacific (355) and Indian (316) due to the presence of many Indo-Pacific species that partially extended into these regions. A secondary region of enhanced species richness was found in the West Atlantic (335). Regions of relatively low species richness include the Arctic (73 species), East Atlantic (118), South America (124) and Antarctic (126).
Highlights
General background The Ophiuroidea or brittle stars, basket stars and snake stars, are the largest group among extant echinoderms, with 2064 described species [1], found in all oceans from the intertidal to the greatest depths
The number of currently accepted brittle-star species from the Jurassic, one of the best sampled geological time intervals, is approximately 70 (Thuy, unpublished data), and even acknowledging a limitation of the Jurassic ophiuroid fossil record to shallow-water settings, this is an extremely low total diversity for a time interval spanning more than 40 Ma compared to presentday diversity
Ophiuroid species names were collected from the literature and entered into the online World Ophiuroidea Database [1], part of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) [6]
Summary
General background The Ophiuroidea or brittle stars, basket stars (euryalids with branching arms) and snake stars (euryalids with non-branching arms), are the largest group among extant echinoderms, with 2064 described species [1], found in all oceans from the intertidal to the greatest depths. Arm spine articulation: specific structures on lateral arm plates for attachment of spines; character of high taxonomic value, with family- and sometimes genus-specific shape (Fig. 3C, 5P, R, V, X, Z).
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