Ophiuroidea

views updated

Ophiuroidea (brittle-stars; subphylum Asterozoa, class Stelleroidea) Subclass of brittle-stars in which a central, rounded disc is sharply demarcated from the long, slender arms. The body cavity of the arms is filled almost completely with axial skeleton. The subclass is known from the Ordovician to Recent.

More From encyclopedia.com