Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Ophiothrix (Ophiothrix) spiculata Le Conte, 1851

Estrella de brazos frágiles, Sea stars

Photo: Cruise Report FLAMINGO MV1007.
Photo: Cruise Report FLAMINGO MV1007.

Depth: intertidal to al least 730 m, perhaps 2059 m.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Echinodermata

Class
Ophiuroidea

Order
Amphilepidida

Suborder
Gnathophiurina

Superfamily
Ophiactoidea

Family
Ophiotrichidae

Genus
Ophiothrix (Ophiothrix)

Species
spiculata

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Ophiothrix dumosa Lyman, 1860, Ophiothrix spiculata Le Conte, 1851· accepted, alternate representation, fide Horton et al. (2021)

Origin: Native

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: From California to Perú and Ecuador (Galapagos Islands)

References

  • Bustamante, R.H. Vinueza, L.R., Smith, F., Banks, S., Calvopiña, M., Francisco, V., Chiriboga, A., Harris, J. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas I: Organismos sésiles y mesoinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 38-67.
  • Horton, T. Horton, T., Kroh, A., Ahyong, S., Bailly, N., Boyko, C. B., Brandão, S. N., Gofas, S., Hooper, J. N. A., Hernandez, F., Holovachov, O., Mees, J., Molodtsova, T. N., Paulay, G., Decock, W., Dekeyzer, S., Poffyn, G., Vandepitte, L., Vanhoorne, B., Adlard, R., ... Zhao, Z. (2021) World Register of Marine Species. Available from https://www.marinespecies.org at VLIZ.
  • Maluf, L.Y. (1991) Echinoderm Fauna of the Galápagos Islands. In: James, M.J. (ed.): Galápagos Marine Invertebrates. Taxonomy, Biogeography, and Evolution in Darwin's Islands. Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 345-367.
  • Sonnenholzner, J. Brand, M., Francisco, V., Hearn, A., Luzuriaga, M., Guarderas, P & Navarro, J. (2013) Echinoderms of Ecuador. In: Alvarado, J & Solís-Marín, A. (eds.) (2013) Echinoderm research and Diversity in Latin America. 183-233 pp.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Ophiothrix (Ophiothrix) spiculata", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=19001. Accessed 1 November 2026.