Amphipholis squamata, common names brooding snake star and dwarf brittle star, is a species complexLe Gac, M., Féral, J.P., Poulin, E., Veyret, M. & Chenuil, A. (2004) Identification of allopatric clades in the cosmopolitan ophiuroid species complex Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata). The end of a paradox? Marine Ecology Progress Series, 278: 171–178.Boissin E., Feral J.P., Chenuil A. (2008) Defining reproductively isolated units in a cryptic and syntopic species complex using mitochondrial and nuclear markers: the brooding brittle star, Amphipholis squamata (Ophiuroidea). Mol Ecol 17:1732−1744 of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae.
Description
This species is small, grey to bluish-white, and phosphorescent. Brooding individuals emit more light than non-brooding individuals. It has thin, short arms around 20 mm long. The round disc is 3 to 5mm, and has a scale covering with D-shaped radial plates. It has rhombic-shaped mouth shields and extremely wide mouth papillae.
Distribution Amphipholis squamata is found in all parts of the British Isles and also in Ireland. It has been recorded in many other parts of the world, including France,New Zealand and other places, with one conference paper referring to it as a cosmopolitan species. Molecular studies have shown that there are multiple species in this complex.
Habitat This brittle star lives in the intertidal zone in shallow water, and can be found under large stones, shells, and around sessile invertebrates such as bryozoans.
Parasites This brittle star hosts at least two species of ectoparasites. The following two that have been confirmed are both copepods: Cancerilla tubulata Dalyell, 1851 Parachordeumium amphiurae (Hérouard, 1906)
Synonyms
Asterias noctiluca Viviani, 1805 Ophiura elegans Leach, 1815 [suppressed] Amphiura elegans (Leach, 1815) Asterias squamata Delle Chiaje, 1828 Amphioplus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828) Amphiura squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828) Axiognathus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828) Amphiura neglecta Forbes, 1843 Ophiolepis tenuis Ayres, 1854 Amphiura tenera Lütken, 1856 Amphipholis tenera (Lütken, 1856) Amphiura tenuispina Ljungman, 1865 Amphipholis tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865) Amphipholis squamata tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865) Amphipholis appressa Ljungman, 1872 Amphipholis kinbergi Ljungman, 1872 Amphipholis lineata Ljungman, 1872 Amphipholis patagonica Ljungman, 1872 Amphiura parva Hutton, 1878 Amphipholis australiana H.L. Clark, 1909 Ophiactis minor Döderlein, 1910 Amphipholis minor (Döderlein, 1910) Amphipholis japonica Matsumoto, 1915 Amphipholis tissieri Reys, 1961
References