Galapagos Species Database

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

Ophioderma variegatum Lütken, 1856

Multi colored brittle star

Depth: shore to 110 m

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Echinodermata

Class
Ophiuroidea

Order
Ophiacanthida

Suborder
Ophiodermatina

Family
Ophiodermatidae

Genus
Ophioderma

Species
variegatum

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Ophioderma variegata Lütken, 1856 (wrong ending due to confusion about gender of Ophioderma), Ophiura variegata (Lütken, 1856) (transferred to Ophiura by Verrill (1867), who considered both synonymous), fide Horton et al. (2021)

Origin: Native

Distribution

Distribution: California, Gulf of California, Panama, Revillagigedos, Cocos and Ecuador (Galapagos Islands)

References

  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
  • 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, Ophioderma variegatum", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=8573. Accessed 31 October 2026.