Description:
The mud brittle star is the largest shallow water brittle star in Florida, growing to approximately 0.4 inches disk diameter, with arms reaching 5 inches in length. Body color is generally pale gray or tan marked with darker gray.  Arms are typically white and banded with irregularly spaced brownish or black bands.  Fence papillae between the arms number between 17 - 30.  There are seldom any papillae on the ventral side of the disk, which is pale in color except for the oral shields, jaws and disk scales, which are black. 

Habitat:
Ophiophragmus wurdemanii is found in the intertidal and subtidal zones to a depth of 155 feet.  It is more common in shallow water where it may bury itself to approximately 5 inches. 

Similar Species:
The mud brittlestar is similar in overall appearance to Ophiophragmus filograneus, a related species.  They are distinguished in that O. filograneus has conical papillae on the ventral side of the disk.  Additionally, its body color is somewhat different than in O. wurdemanii, with the disk generally gray or brown in color, and the arms irregularly patterned in similar colors.

Range:  
The mud brittle star ranges from North Carolina south to Florida and through the Gulf of Mexico.  It may possibly range as far south as Venezuela.