Echinoderm is the common name for an animal in the phylum Echinodermata. The word "echinoderm" means "spiny skin." This phylum includes animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and crinoids. All of these are marine animals with radial symmetry in their body shapes.
The following echinoderm species have been identified within the boundaries of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Common names are provided in parentheses, when available.
Visit the Echinoderm Image Gallery for photographs of some of these species.
Brittle Stars
Amphiodia pulchella
Amphioplus tumidus
Asteroschema sp.
Astrocyclus caecilia
Astrophyton muricatum (Giant Basket Star)
Asteroporpa annulata (Ringed Brittle Star)
Gorgonocephalus sp.
Ophiactis algicola
Ophiactis savignyi (Savigny's Brittle Star)
Ophiocoma echinata (Blunt-spined Brittle Star, Spiny Brittle Star)
Ophiocoma wendtii (Wendt's Brittle Star, Red Ophiocoma)
Ophiocomella ophiactoides (Coralline Brittle Star)
Ophioderma appressum (Harlequin Brittle Star, Banded Arm Brittle Star)
Ophioderma brevispinum (Serpent Brittle Star)
Ophioderma rubicundum (Ruby Brittle Star)
Ophioderma squamosissimum (Red Serpent Star)
Ophiolepis elegans (Elegant Brittle Star)
Ophiophragmus sp.
Ophionereis reticulata (Reticulated Brittle Star)
Ophiostigma isacanthum
Ophiothrix angulata (Angular Brittle Star)
Ophiothrix suensonii (Suenson's Brittle Star, Sponge Brittle Star)
Ophiurochaeta littoralis (Red Badge Brittle Star)
Crinoids
Crinometra brevipinna
Comactinia echinoptera
Comactinia meriodionalis
Ctenantedon kinziei
Davidaster discoideus (Beaded Crinoid)
Hypalometra defecta
Stylometra spinifera
Sea Cucumbers
Actinopyga agassizii (Five-toothed Sea Cucumber)
Euapta lappa (Beaded Sea Cucumber)
Holothuria lentiginosa
Isostichopus badionotus (Three Rowed Sea Cucumber)
Thyone pseudofusus (Cucumber)
Sea Stars
Astropecten comptus (Royal Sea Star)
Asterinopsis lymani
Chaetaster nodosus
Coronaster briareus
Goniaster tessellatus (Tessellated Cushion Star)
Linckia guildingii (Common Comet Star)
Linckia nodosa
Mithrodia clavigera (Nail Sea Star)
Narcissia trigonaria
Ophidiaster guildingii (Guilding's Sea Star)
Sclerasterias contorta
Tosia parva
Sea Urchins
Arbacia punctulata (Purple-spined Sea Urchin, Purple Urchin)
Brissopsis elongata elongata (Heart Urchin)
Centrostephanus longispinus rubricingulus (Needle-spined Urchin)
Clypeaster ravenelii
Clypeaster subdepressus (Sand Dollar)
Coelopleurus floridanus
Diadema antillarum (Long-spined Urchin)
Eucidaris tribuloides (Slate Pencil Urchin)
Genocidaris maculata
Lytechinus euerces (Variegated Urchin)
Lytechinus variegatus (Green Sea Urchin)
Meoma ventricosa (Red Heart Urchin)
Paraster doederleini
Paraster floridiensis
Pseudoboletia maculata maculata (Stained Collector Urchin)
Stylocidaris affinis (Red Sea Urchin)
Tripneustes ventricosus (West Indian Sea Egg)