The Classification of the Ophiuroidea

(there may be accidental ommissions)

This classification is according to Smith, Patterson and Lafay, 1995. Ophiuroid phylogeny and higher taxonomy: Morphological, molecular and palaeontological perspectives. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 114:213243

Note: The classification of the ophiuroids remains a subject of debate. Especially interesting is the placement of the obscure and unusual Ophiocanops fugiens, thought to be a 'living fossil' of sorts. Smith et. al. consider Ophiocanops to be the most primitive extant ophiuroid, but some question interpretation of morphological features.

Subclass Oegophiuridea             

                             Family Ophiocanopidae (Ophiocanops)

Subclass Ophiuridea

                             Family Ophiobyrisinae (incertae cedis)

     Order Euryalida

                             Family Asteronychidae

                             Family Gorgonocephalidae

                             Family Asteroschematidae

                             Family Euryalidae

     Order Ophiurida

           Suborder Ophiomyxina

                             Family Ophiomyxidae

           Suborder Ophiurina

                             Family Ophiacanthidae (paraphyletic complex)

                   Infraorder Hemieuryalina

                             Family Hemieuryalidae

                   Infraorder Chilophiurina

                             Family Ophiuridae

                                   Subfamily Ophiurinae (Ophiura) 

                                   Subfamily Ophioleucinae

                   Infraorder Gnathophiurina

                             Family Amphilepididae

                         Superfamily Gnathophiuridea

                             Family Amphiuridae

                             Family Ophiothricidae (Ophiothrix)

                             Family Ophiactidae

                       Superfamily Ophiocomidea

                             Family Ophionereididae

                             Family Ophiocomidae

                                   Subfamily Ophiocominae (Ophiocoma)

                                   Subfamily Ophiopsilinae

                   Infraorder Ophiodermatina

                             Family Ophiochitonidae

                             Family Ophiodermatidae

                                   Subfamily Ophiodermatinae (Ophioderma)

                                   Subfamily Ophiarachninae

                   Infraorder Ophiolepidina

                             Family Ophiolepididae (Ophiolepis)

 

Classification of Matsumoto, 1917. A monograph of the Japanese Ophiuroidea, arranged according to a new classification. Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo. 38: 1408.

Note: Matsumoto's classification is the only major reclassification of the ophiuroids since the class was described. The classification was based on few characters, and therefore was not universally well received. Many still favored the traditional classification that recognized the same families, but placed them in two separate Orders, the Euryalida and the Ophiurida, which are incorporated in the classification shown above.

                                                  

Subclass Oegophiurida

Subclass Phrynophiurida

         Order Phrynophiurina

                 Family Euryalidae

                 Family Asteroschematidae

                 Family Asteronychidae

                 Family Gorgonocephalidae

                 Family Ophiobyrsinae

                 Family Ophiomyxinae                                                                              

         Order Laemophiurina

                 Family Hemieuryalinae

                 Family Ophiochondrinae

                 Family Ophiacanthidae

         Order Gnathophiurina

                 Family Ophiothricidae

                 Family Amphiuridae

                 Family Ophiactidae

                 Family Amphilepididae

           Order Chilophiurina

                 Family Ophiodermatidae

                     Subfamily Ophiodermatinae

                     Subfamily Ophiarachninae

                 Family Ophiochitonidae

                 Family Ophiocomidae

                       Subfamily Ophiocominae

                       Subfamily Ophiopsilinae

                 Family Ophionereididae

                 Family Ophiolepididae

                     Subfamily Ophiurinae

                     Subfamily Ophioleucinae