Ophiactis balli ( Thompson, 1840 )

Rodrigues, Clara F., Paterson, Gordon L. J., Cabrinovic, Andrew & Cunha, Marina R., 2011, Deep-sea ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Ophiurida) from the Gulf of Cadiz (NE Atlantic), Zootaxa 2754, pp. 1-26 : 14

Ophiactis balli ( Thompson, 1840)

Material examined. Al Idrisi MV, TTR12, stn AT412, 2 ind. ( DBUA 001065.01); West of Gibraltar Strait, TTR14, stn AT550, 1 ind. ( DBUA 001066.01).

Ecology and distribution. This is an Eastern Atlantic species known from depths of 60–400 m ( Paterson 1985), generally found in crevices or amongst sessile invertebrates with the body concealed and the arms extended out into the water. It is characteristic of exposed or moderately exposed rocky situations especially on limestone ( Picton & Morrow 2007). In the Gulf of Cadiz it was collected within its known bathymetric range from limestones at the crater of Al Idrisi MV and from carbonate chimneys in an exposed site (high bottom currents) West of Gibraltar Strait.