ECHINODERM SPECIES

Click on a link below to jump directly to a specific echinoderm category:

Brittle Stars
Sea Cucumbers
Sea Stars
Sea Urchins

Video of Sanctuary Invertebrates - This includes a variety of crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms, and worms.

Brittle Star List

The following brittle stars are found within the coral cap region of the sanctuary (0-130 ft, 0-40m deep). Common names are listed, if known.

Brittle Stars

Common Name	Scientific Name
	Amphiodia pulchella
	Amphioplus tumidus
	Asteroschema sp.
	Astrocyclus caecilia
Basket Star	Astrophyton muricatum
	Asteroporpa annulata
	Gorgonocephalus sp.
	Ophiactis algicola
Five-armed Ophiactis	Ophiactis quinqueradia
Savigny's Brittle Star	Ophiactis savignyi
Blunt-spined/Spiny Brittle Star	Ophiocoma echinata
Red Ophiocoma	Ophiocoma wendtii
	Ophiocomella ophiactoides
Banded-arm/Harlequin Brittle Star	Ophioderma appressum
Serpent Star	Ophioderma brevispinum
Ruby Brittle Star (breeding group)	Ophioderma rubicundum
Scaly Brittle/Red Serpent Star	Ophioderma squamosissimum
Elegant Brittle Star	Ophiolepis elegans
	Ophiophragmus sp.
Reticulated Brittle Star	Ophionereis reticulata
	Ophiostigma isacanthus
Angular Brittle Star	Ophiothrix angulata
Suenson's/Sponge Brittle Star	Ophiothrix suensonii
	Ophiurochaeta littoralis

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Sea Cucumber List

The following sea cucumbers are found within the coral cap region of the sanctuary (0-130 ft, 0-40m deep). Common names are listed, if known.

Sea Cucumbers

Common Name	Scientific Name
Five-toothed Sea Cucumber (spawning posture)	Actinopyga agassizii
Beaded Sea Cucumber	Euapta lappa
	Holothuria lentiginosa
Chocolate Chip/Three-rowed Cucumber	Isostichopus (Stichopus) badionotus
Cucumber	Thyone pseudofusus

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Sea Star List

The following sea stars are found within the coral cap region of the sanctuary (0-130 ft, 0-40m deep). Common names are listed, if known.

Sea Stars

Common Name	Scientific Name
	Astropecten comptus
	Asterinopsis lymani
	Asterinopsis pilosis
	Coronaster briareus
	Goniaster tessellatus
Common Comet Star	Linckia guildingii
	Linckia nodosa
Nail Sea Star Image: Steve & Brandi Miller	Mithrodia clavigera
	Sclerasterias contorta

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Sea Urchin List

The following sea urchins are found within the coral cap region of the sanctuary (0-130 ft, 0-40m deep). Common names are listed, if known.

Sea Urchins

Common Name	Scientific Name
Purple-spined Sea Urchin	Arbacia punctulata
	Centrostephanus longispinus rubricingulus
	Coelopleurus floridanus
Long-spined Sea Urchin (habitat for small fish)	Diadema antillarum
Slate-pencil Urchin (wedged in a crevice)	Eucidaris tribuloides
	Genocidaris maculata
	Lytechinus euerces
Green/Variegated Sea Urchin	Lytechinus variegatus
Red Heart Urchin	Meoma ventricosa
	Paraster doederleini
Stained Collector Urchin	Pseudoboletia maculata maculata
Red Sea urchin	Stylocidaris affinis

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Download a List of Echinoderm Species (116kb pdf) found in the coral cap region of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.