Friday, December 3, 2010

The Brittle Star Link

Two Small Common Brittle Stars, Ophiothrix fragilis
The Common Brittle Star (Ophiothrix fragilis) is a widespread invertebrate of European waters. It has a body comprising of a central, flattened disc from which five narrow arms radiate (1). Dense beds of O. fragilis are quite common in European waters, often of up to 2000 individuals m-2 (2). Their suspension feeding action means that they remove and recycle organic material in the water, and as such provide an important link between benthic and pelagic ecosystems (3).

References:
  1. Sterry, 2004 Collins Complete Guide to Irish Wildilfe p. 176
  2. Broom, 1975 Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 55 pp. 191-197
  3. Allen, 1998 Marine Biology 132 pp. 383-390

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