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Glite Dictionary
Ophiuroidea

Ophiuroidea

1 9.9
A group of sea animals like brittle stars with a round central body and long flexible arms
  • noun
  • /ˌɒfɪˈjʊrɪdɪə/
  • Specialized
: ofiuroides
  • The Ophiuroidea class includes species like brittle stars, which have long, flexible arms and a distinct central disc.

Examples

  • Ophiuroidea is actually the class of brittlestars, not a genus of brittlestars.

    Blog text (11)

  • Researchers study Ophiuroidea to understand their ecological roles in marine environments, especially in coral reefs.

  • Aquarium enthusiasts often choose Ophiuroidea for their tanks because of their unique shapes and behavior.

Surface Forms

Ophiuroidea singular
Ophiuroideas plural

Morphology

Ophiuroidea = ophiuroid (opaque) = ophiuro + oidea

Formed from Greek/Neo‑Latin combining forms used in scientific taxonomy (not productive English morphemes), so the class name is technical and not inferable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word Ophiuroidea comes from Greek parts ophi- ('snake') and -oura ('tail'), so it literally means 'snake-tail'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine their long, flexible arms like snake tails, which is why the name fits brittle stars and basket stars.