
Ophiuroidea Brittle Star | Morocco
Specimen approx. size: 1.5" x 0.75"
Matrix approx. size: 4.75" x 3" x 1"
Members of the class Ophiuroidea, commonly known as brittle stars, are echinoderms distinguished by a small central disc and five slender, flexible arms clearly separated from the disc. Their skeleton is composed of articulated calcite plates (ossicles), often found disarticulated in the fossil record due to rapid decay after death. The occurrence of articulated individuals frequently denotes rapid burial or anoxic bottom conditions conducive to exceptional preservation.
Brittle stars are benthic marine animals that use their arms for locomotion and feeding. Their flexible arms allow for rapid locomotion and efficient food capture. Though morphologically conservative, they are diverse and widespread, serving as useful indicators of low-energy, fine-sediment depositional environments.