Ecology
The genus Ophiothrix can be found in differenttypes of habitat.
There were already identified among pebbles instrong tidal current benthic habitats, on gravel and coarse sandysediments in relatively large patches in terms of surface area and insubstrates mainly compound by fine particles (Dauvin, J.2013).
It is very common for those animals to be found invery large aggregation systems, which is indicated to favour its feedingbehaviour. (Lozach, S. 2011)
Ophiuroids are the only symbiotic echinoderms. They are capable of being commensal in sponges, corals, feather stars and sand dollars. (Ruppert,fox & Barns, 2004)
The species used for this project wasfound under and inside coral boulders at the intertidal coral reef crestat Heron Island. This type of environment gives protection against predatorsand against desiccation during the low tide.
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