Though once considered to be the only one living species in this brittle star family, recent research has brought to light three specimens of Ophiocanops that differ substantially from O. fugiens.
Ophiocanops is usually placed in the order Oegophiurida (suborder Zeugophiurina) or regarded as a genus incertae sedis[4] or even given its own subclass Oegophiuridea.
[7] These plates resemble vertebrae, and are appropriately named vertebral ossicles, in which these are controlled by O. fugiens muscular system.
[8] O. fugiens demonstrates a small, triangular plated mouth, featuring a set of six conically arranged teeth.
Additionally, O. fugiens may scavenge benthic floors for detritus and plankton, or alternatively, can use the propellant motion of their arms to capture surrounding particles to feed on.
It's incredibly small and compact central disc is proposed to have developed to lessen pressure of predation, as O. fugiens is capable of regenerating arms.