WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Pink Brittle Star

Ophiothrix (Ophiothrix) foveolata

Also known as: Brittle Sea Star, Brittle Star, Hairy Leather Coral Brittle Star, Serpent Star, Starfish, Ophiothrix foveolata

Adult
@reeph · nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines · March 20151 / 1
01

Overview

Found entwined, amongst living corals, and rubble, over coral and rocky reefs. Long arms covered in soft spikes looks like a toilet brush!

Sea Stars have remarkable regenerative powers, when attacked and damaged by predators they are able to grow new arms. They usually have five arms but have been found with 4 or 6 arms, this may be because more than one arm has been damaged at one time!
They possess a cleverly evolved arsenal of hydraulic tube feet connected to an elaborate water-vascular system that encircles the animal's mouth and extends via five radial canals down the centre of each arm.
Their mouth is underneath, but their prey is absorbed outside their mouths by forcing out their digestive organs from their stomach.
Sea Stars are carnivores and feed on almost any food including molluscs, worms, detritus and each other!
Some sea stars like the crown of thorns can be venomous.

02

How to identify

Pattern
stripes
Body shape
armshairy

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Central Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found entwined, amongst living corals, and rubble, over coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyOphiothricidae
    2. genusOphiothrix
    3. speciesOphiothrix (Ophiothrix) foveolata Marktanner-Turneretscher, 1887

    SourcesWoRMS