Solvin Zankl / Deepsea Basket star (Gorgonocephalus lamarckii) specimen, from the North Atlantic near Iceland.

David Shale / Close up of deepsea Basket star (Gorgonocephalus sp) from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Black brittlestar (Ophiocomina nigra), yellow colour variety, with Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), on sea bed, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotlan...

David Shale / Deepsea Basket star (Gorgonocephalus sp) from coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

Juergen Freund / Brittlestar on gorgonian fan coral, Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Tiny Brittlestars (Ophiuridae) wrapped around the branches of Fan coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Brittle star (Ophiuroidea sp) Saltstraumen, Bod, Norway, October 2008

Juergen Freund / Brittle star on sponge. (Ophiothrix suensonii) Caribbean

Birgitte Wilms / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix sp) juvenile on Blue Sea Star (Linckia laevigata) Solomon Islands

Dan Burton / Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis) on sea bed, Scotland

Georgette Douwma / Kaleidoscopic image of brittle star (Ophiothrix sp), North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Kaleidoscopic image of Basket star (Astroboa nuda) commonly found at night with its rays fully extended into areas of current. It removes plankton from the water column by filter feeding. During the d...

Georgette Douwma / Kaleidoscopic image of Basket star (Astroboa nuda) commonly found at night with its rays fully extended into areas of current. It removes plankton from the water column by filter feeding. During the d...

Georgette Douwma / Kaleidoscopic image of Brittlestar (Ophiothrix sp.) on Sea pen (Virgularia sp.). Rinca, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Kaleidoscopic image of Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) on soft coral on which there are Acoel flatworms (Waminoa species). Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Yellow sun star (Solaster endeca) amongst Brittle stars (Ophiothrix fragilis) on a Horse mussel bed (Modiolus modiolus) Sheltand Islands, Scotland, UK, September.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Horse mussel bed (Modiolus modiolus) with Brittle stars (Ophiothrix fragilis),Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) and Northern sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) Sheltand Islands, Scotland, UK, S...

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Horse mussels (Modiolus modiolus) with brittle stars (Ophiothrix fragilis), Shetland, Scotland, UK, August.

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestars on Gorgonian branches (Ophiopholis species). West Papua, Indonesia. Indo-West Pacific.

Georgette Douwma / Black brittlestar / Variable brittlestar (Ophiomastix variabilis). West Papua, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Black brittlestar / Variable brittlestar (Ophiomastix variabilis). West Papua, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) on soft coral. West Papua, Indonesia. Indo-West Pacific.

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) on soft coral. West Papua, Indonesia. Indo-West Pacific.

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) on a Network Lamellaria / Black Velutinid (Coriocella nigra). West Papua, Indonesia. Indo-West Pacific.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over rock. In rockpool, Devon, England, UK. September.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) from English Channel. South Devon, England, UK. September.

Georgette Douwma / Dark red-spined brittle star (Ophiothrix purpurea) and Colonial anemones (Amphianthus nitidus). North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Dark red-spined brittle star (Ophiothrix purpurea). North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Dark red-spined brittle star (Ophiothrix purpurea) North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

David Fleetham / Branching arms of Basket star (Astroboa nuda) capturing passing Plankton from the waters around Tubbatah Reef, Philippines.

David Fleetham / Commensal / Periclimenes Shrimp (Periclimenes lanipes) on branching surface of Basketstar (Astoboa nuda). Komodo, Indonesia.

David Fleetham / Brittle star (Ophiothrix suesonii) on Stove Pipe Sponge (Aplysina archeri). Bonaire, Netherland Antilles, Caribbean.

David Fleetham / Reticulated brittle star (Ophiocoma brevipes) on cushion starfish (Culcita novaeguineae), Hawaii.

David Fleetham / Reticulated brittle star (Ophiocoma brevipes), and commensal shrimp (Periclemenes soror) on a cushion starfish (Culcita novaeguineae), Hawaii.

Linda Pitkin / Basket star (Astroboa nuda) close up of arm at night, The Barge (wreck), near Bluff Point, Gubal I., Gulf of Suez, Egypt, Red Sea.

Alex Mustard / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis) climbs up on red soft coral (Eunephthya rubiformis) to feed during daylight. Browning Pass, Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Queen Charlot...

Sue Daly / Brittlestars (Ophiura albida), Trondheimsfjord, Norway, July.

Sue Daly / Black Brittlestar (Ophiocomina nigra), Trondheimsfjord, Norway, July.

Sue Daly / Basket star (Gogonocepahlus caputmedusae) Trondheimsfjord, Norway, July.

Sue Daly / Basket star (Gogonocepahlus caputmedusae) Trondheimsfjord, Norway, July.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving in a rockpool, with a Common limpet (Patella vulgata) nearby, Cornwall, England, UK, September.

Franco Banfi / Basketstar (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis), Alaska, North Pacific Ocean.

Solvin Zankl / Chilean basket star (Gorgonocephalus chilensis) about 40cm size, Comau Fjord, Patagonia, Chile, Atlantic Ocean

Richard Herrmann / Octopus (Octopus sp) and Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp), Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands, California

Alex Mustard / Giant basket star (Astrophyton muricatum) young clings to a seafan during the day (at night it will climb up to the top of the fan, unfurl and feed) East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British Wes...

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) bed with Brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis) and Edible crab (Cancer pagurus), Shetland, Scotland, UK, September.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Yellow sun star (Solaster endeca) surrounded by brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), Shetland, Scotland, September.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) bed with brittle stars and crabs, Shetland, Scotland, UK, September.

Norbert Wu / Brittle Star (Ophiothrix spiculata) group and Purple Sea Urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), California

Pascal Kobeh / Brittle stars, sea urchins and a shell on the sea floor. Antarctic peninsula, Bellingshausen Sea.

Pascal Kobeh / Brittle star (Ophionotus victoriae) on seaweed. Antarctic peninsula, Bellingshausen Sea. Small reproduction only.

Franco Banfi / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis) and Sea strawberry (Gersemia rubiformis) Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean

Pascal Kobeh / Basket star (Astroboa nuda) at night, New Caledonia, Pacific Ocean.

Albert Lleal / Basket Starfish (Ophiura ophiura) seen under SEM, 20x magnification

Richard Robinson / Two snake stars (Ophiopsammus maculata) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Snake star (Ophiopsammus maculata) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Snake star (Ophiopsammus maculata) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. April 2014.

Richard Robinson / Euryalinid brittlestar (Astrobrachion constrictum) that lives in a symbiotic relationship on Fiordland black coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Fiordland Black Coral (Antipathella fiordensis) living in a symbiotic relationship with the Snake Star (Astrobrachion constrictum) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Butterfly perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera), snake star (Astrobrachion constrictum) and Fiordland black coral (Antipathella fiordensis) and New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) in Dusky Sound,...

Richard Robinson / Snake star (Ophiopsammus maculata) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Close up of snake star (Astrobrachion constrictum) that lives in a symbiotic relationship on Fiordland Black Coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Close up of snake star arm (Astrobrachion constrictum) living in a symbiotic relationship on Fiordland Black Coral (Antipathella fiordensis) in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.

Richard Robinson / Brittle Star (Astroceras elegans) living in a symbiotic relationship on a Fiord Fan Coral (Acanthogorgia breviflora)in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. April 2014.

Richard Robinson / Brittle Star (Astroceras elegans) living in a symbiotic relationship on a Fiord Fan Coral (Acanthogorgia breviflora)in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. April 2014.

Andy Jackson / 2020VISION / Black brittlestar (Ophiocomina nigra) on a boulder covered in purple algae, Shetland, Scotland, UK, July.

Pascal Kobeh / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis), Alaska, USA, Gulf of Alaska. Pacific ocean.

Pascal Kobeh / Giant basket star (Astrophyton muricatum) at night, Guadeloupe Island, Mexico. Caribbean.

Sue Daly / Black brittlestar (Ophiocomina nigra) St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve, Scotland (North Sea).

Solvin Zankl / Chilean basket star (Gorgonocephalus chilensis) Comau Fjord, Chile.

Solvin Zankl / Tiny Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp) wrapped around the branches of Fan coral, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean.

MYN / Sheri Mandel / Spiny brittle star (Ophiothrix spiculata), Malibu, California, USA, June, meetyourneighbours.net project

Claudio Contreras / Dark Red-spined Brittle Star (Ophiothrix purpurea), Bilang Bilangang Island, Danajon Bank, Central Visayas, Philippines, April

Franco Banfi / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus caryi / eucnemis ) Arctic circle Dive Center, White Sea, Karelia, Northern Russia, September

Franco Banfi / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus caryi / eucnemis ) Arctic circle Dive Center, White Sea, Karelia, Northern Russia, September

Franco Banfi / Basket star (Gorgonocephalus caryi / eucnemis ) Arctic circle Dive Center, White Sea, Karelia, Northern Russia, September

Alex Mustard / Two Ruby brittlestars (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) as it spawns at night in order to feed on the coral eggs, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Isl...

Alex Mustard / A Ruby brittle star (Ophioderma rubicundum) feeding on the spawn from a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa), East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Ruby brittle star (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing on top of a mountainous star coral (Montastraea faveolata) as it prepares to spawn at night, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Ind...

Alex Mustard / Ruby brittle star (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing on top of a mountainous star coral (Montastraea faveolata) as it prepares to spawn at night, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Ind...

Alex Mustard / Three Ruby brittlestars (Ophioderma rubicundum) climbing a Symmeterical brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) as it spawns at night in late summer. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West...

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Common sunstar (Crossaster papposus) hunting fleeing Brittlestars (Ophiopetra) on Maerl (Lithothamnion glaciale) encrusted rock, Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April.

Solvin Zankl / Spines from brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) from calcareous sand sample. Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Diagonal of frame approx. 4 mm Digital focus stacking image

Solvin Zankl / Fish tooth and parts of skeleton of brittle stars (Ophiuridae) from calcareous sand sample, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Diagonal of frame approx. 5 mm Digital focus stacking image

Solvin Zankl / Spines of echinoderms - sea urchins and brittle stars found in the sand from Raja Ampat, Inodesia, come in many colours and shapes. Diagonal of frame approx. 5 mm Digital focus stacking image

Solvin Zankl / GEOMAR / Bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) with basket star (Gorgonocephalus caputmedusae) with a live coral (Lophelia pertusa), reef in Trondheimfjord, North Atlantic Ocean, Norway . Photo taken in coopera...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithothamnion sp.), near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) well camouflaged among mix of red and green algae including Coralweed (Corallina officinalis), Harpoon weed (Asparagopsis armata) and Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuc...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithomnanion sp.) past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a rocky shore, near Falmou...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a rocky shore, near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, A...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) and Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) low on a...

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae (Lithomnanion sp.), near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Common brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis) moving over floor of rockpool encrusted with red algae past Flat / Purple Top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis), Rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatilis) and Thick-li...

Juan Carlos Munoz / Fossil of Brittlestar (Ophiopetra sp) from the Jurassic period, Germany

David Shale / Purple octocoral and detail of euryalid ophiuroid serpent star. Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.