Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 June 2015
In this study, we present descriptions, illustrations, comments, and bathymetric and geographic distributions of the brittle star species related to the estuary region of Camamu Bay, located in the State of Bahia, Brazil. The brittle star fauna lives on biological substrates, sand bottoms, mud and rubble in the Camamu Bay and comprises 12 species divided into five families. Almost all of them are common in the tropical and subtropical fauna of the regions of shallow water. Ophiophragmus filograneus is reported for the first time in Bahia, and nine other species are recorded for the first time in Camamu Bay: Amphipholis januarii, Amphipholis squamata, Ophiophragmus filograneus, Ophiostigma isocanthum, Ophioderma cinerea, Ophioderma januarii, Ophiactis lymani, Ophiactis savignyi and Ophiocoma echinata. The results suggest that the ophiuroid assemblages are strongly affected by marine currents as well as by different kinds of bottom substrate.