Ophioderma panamense (Ophiuroidea)

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• Photo: Shane Anderson.
• Printing resolution: 300 DPI.
• Downloaded from http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/pgallery/pgchannel/living/living_13.html archive copy at the Wayback Machine.
• Leyend: Like the feather duster worm, the brittle star (Ophiuroidea sp.) also filters its food using its tube feet. They play a vital role in the food chain by eating organic wastes from the ocean floor, helping to recycle nutrients. Brittle stars are aptly named because their arms are fragile and break apart easily. Although it may loose an arm while escaping from a predator, this species has the ability to regenerate its missing limbs.