Phrynophiurida

Phrynophiurida
Gorgonocephalidae sp. (a basket star)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Ophiuroidea
Order:	Phrynophiurida
Suborders
Euryalina Ophiomyxina

Phrynophiurida (formerly called Euryalae) is an order of brittle stars containing Basket stars.

Characteristics

Phrynophiurida have bursae for as exchange and excretion. Their ventral arm shields are rudimentary, dorsal shields usually absent. Arms sometimes branched, can coil vertically. The vertebrae are joined by hourglass-shaped surfaces. Madreporite is on oral surface. Digestive glands are confined to central disc. The integument is leathery, bearing calcereous granules or platelets. They generally live in deep-sea waters, coiling its arms on branched black coral.

Systematics

The Asteronychidae have a large disk and slender arms, and the Asteroschematidae have a small disk and stout arms.

One remaining family, the Ophiomyxidae, differs in having a soft, unprotected integument, like that of Ophiocanops, but lacks the peculiar features of the gut and gonads in oegophiurids.

Phrynophiurida are divided into the following suborders and families:

• Euryalina
  • Asteronychidae
  • Asteroschematidae
  • Gorgonocephalidae
  • Euryalidae
• Ophiomyxina
  • Ophiomyxidae
  • ?Ophiocanopidae

The inclusion of Ophiocanopidae is supported by some modern studies, but not yet generally accepted.

References

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