Gorgonocephalus arcticus

(Leach, 1819)

Vernacular names
English : Northern basket-star
French : Tête de méduse arctique

Classification
Class : Ophiuroidea
Order : Euryalida
Family : Gorgonocephalidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Central disk reaching a diameter of 10 cm, arm length to at least 30 cm. Pentagonal central disk with prominent rib-like structures. Arms are very long and splitted in several filamentous extensions. Coloration grey to white.

Range and habitat
North-Western Atlantic from Arctic Ocean and Greenland to Cape Cod. Lives almost exclusively on rocky bottoms, with strong cold water current, not too far from caves, at various depth from 5 meters to more than 1500 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NOT LISTED
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species hasn’t been assessed and seems to be very numerous in the wild. Global warming may prove to be a long-term threat.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

Back to “Echinoderms, Sponges and Hydrozoas” page