Serpent's-table brittle star (Ophiura ophiura) spreads its slender arms over the seabed.

Serpent's-Table Brittle Star (Ophiura ophiura) — Photograph identified as Ophiura ophiura.

Creator: [Michel Langeveld](https://www.inaturalist.org/users/3599717), source photo [127456931](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/127456931). CC BY-SA 4.0. Licence: [CC BY-SA 4.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Species record

Serpent's-Table Brittle Star

Ophiura ophiura

Explore the Serpent's-Table Brittle Star (Ophiura ophiura) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

Ophiura ophiura is a large brittle star recorded from northern Norway and Iceland south to the Azores and Madeira, and into the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It is common on sand and muddy sand, from the lower shore to roughly 200 metres deep.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Echinoderms
  3. Class: Brittle stars
  4. Order: Ophiurida
  5. Family: Ophiuridae
  6. Genus: Ophiura

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
sandy seabeds, muddy sand, lower shore to about 200 metres depth
Selected regions
Africa, Europe

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • It is an omnivore that can capture prey, scavenge, and eat detritus.

More images

Serpent's-table brittle star (Ophiura ophiura) rests on the sea floor.

Serpent's-Table Brittle Star (Ophiura ophiura) — Photograph identified as Ophiura ophiura.

Creator: [Bernard Picton](https://www.inaturalist.org/users/10053), source photo [27005177](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/27005177). CC BY 4.0. Licence: [CC BY 4.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en).

Licence: CC BY 4.0

View image source

Sources and attribution