Ophiopsammus maculatus


Ophiopsammus maculatus is a species of brittle star in the family Ophiodermatidae. The species is a small five-limbed seastar with a round central disk and long, black or red limbs. Its range is New Zealand where it inhabits littoral zones in coastal waters.

Etymology

Maculatus comes from the Latin for 'spotted'. The genus name comes from the Greek ὄφις, for 'snake', and ψάμμος, for 'sand'. Presumably, the name is meant to refer to the long arms and the habitat of the brittle star.