Looking for a name

[Simonmtl]

Is this a ophiure? With 6 legs, I never seen any on the net.

I have tons of them over my 300 pounds of LR. (Never bigger than a size of a quarter, legs included)

 

[charlesr1958]

Yeah, that is strange, have never seen a six legged brittle star before. Maybe it was collected near the bikini islands?..lol

Chuck

 

[ophiuroid]

Yes, it is an ophiuroid. Probably in the genus Ophiactis. 6 armed brittlestars nearly always reproduce in part by splitting in two. Brittlestars need 3 arms to move properly, and so each new individual would have 3, and regenerate the others.

In nearly all cases, 3 arms on one side would be shorter...these are the regrowth areas.

These are exceedingly common hitch hikers, but not often seen out of the rockwork, hence most people are not aware they have 6 arms.