Amphipholis squamata

Amphipholis squamata, common names brooding snake star and dwarf brittle star, is a species complex of brittle stars in the family Amphiuridae.

Description
This species is small, grey to bluish-white, and phosphorescent. It has thin, short arms around 20 mm long. The round disc is 3 to 5mm, and has a scale covering with D-shaped radial plates. It has rhombic-shaped mouth shields and extremely wide mouth papillae.

Distribution
Amphipholis Squamata is found in all parts of the British Isles and also in Ireland. It has been recorded in many other parts of the world and molecular studies have shown that there are multiple species in this complex.

Habitat
This brittle star lives in the intertidal zone in shallow water, and can be found under large stones, shells, and around sessile invertebrates such as bryozoans.

Parasites
This brittle star hosts at least two species of ectoparasites. The following two that have been confirmed are both copepods:
 * Cancerilla tubulata Dalyell, 1851
 * Parachordeumium amphiurae (Hérouard, 1906)

Synonyms

 * Asterias noctiluca Viviani, 1805
 * Ophiura elegans Leach, 1815 [suppressed]
 * Amphiura elegans (Leach, 1815)
 * Asterias squamata Delle Chiaje, 1828
 * Amphioplus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
 * Amphiura squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
 * Axiognathus squamata (Delle Chiaje, 1828)
 * Amphiura neglecta Forbes, 1843
 * Ophiolepis tenuis Ayres, 1854
 * Amphiura tenera Lütken, 1856
 * Amphipholis tenera (Lütken, 1856)
 * Amphiura tenuispina Ljungman, 1865
 * Amphipholis tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865)
 * Amphipholis squamata tenuispina (Ljungman, 1865)
 * Amphipholis appressa Ljungman, 1872
 * Amphipholis kinbergi Ljungman, 1872
 * Amphipholis lineata Ljungman, 1872
 * Amphipholis patagonica Ljungman, 1872
 * Amphiura parva Hutton, 1878
 * Amphipholis australiana H.L. Clark, 1909
 * Ophiactis minor Döderlein, 1910
 * Amphipholis minor (Döderlein, 1910)
 * Amphipholis japonica Matsumoto, 1915
 * Amphipholis tissieri Reys, 1961