Ashley Cooper / Plastic rubbish washed ashore from the sea in Glen Brittle, Isle of skye, Scotland, UK. May 2012

Guy Edwardes / Fairy Pools and Black Cuillins, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK. February 2017.

Guy Edwardes / Fairy Pools with Cuillin range in background, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK. January 2015.

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

Alex Hyde / Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) close up of stinging hairs, the silicified tips of the stinging hairs are brittle and snap off easily if the nettle is brushed. Focus stacked image. UK.

Alex Hyde / Brittle Bladder / Common Fragile Fern (Cystopteris fragilis) growing in protective gryke in limestone pavement, Yorkshire Dales, UK. April.

Juergen Freund / Banded brittle star / Tiger stripe serpent star (Ophiolepis superba) on a hard coral, Papua New Guinea.

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

Alex Hyde / The Fairy Pools, on the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh river running down from the Cullin Hills, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, February 2010.

Alex Hyde / The Fairy Pools, on the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh river running down from the Cullin Hills, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, February 2010.

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

Flip Nicklin / Brittle Star, Admiralty Inlet, Baffin Island, Canada

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

Jeff Rotman / Brittle star (Ophiurida) scavenging on Alcynarian soft coral, night. Borneo Sipadan Island

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.

Eladio Fernandez / Brittle thatch palm (Leucothrinax morrisii), Hispaniola.

Eladio Fernandez / Thatch palm (Leucothrinax morrisii), Hispaniola.

David Fleetham / Tiny brittle star (Ophiothrix sp) crawling across Sea cucumber, (Bohadschia argus) Yap, Micronesia.

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...

Philippe Clement / Large group of tourists visiting the Fairy Pools, succession of waterfalls in Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, June 2017

Philippe Clement / Large group of tourists visiting the Fairy Pools, succession of waterfalls in Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, June 2017

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.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfall on upland stream with Bruach na Frithe and Cuillins in background, Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, October 2016.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfall on upland stream with Bruach na Frithe and Cuillins in background, Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, October 2016.

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 / Waterfall under overcast skies, Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, October 2014.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfall under overcast skies, Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, October 2014.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfalls at Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, October 2013.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfalls at Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, October 2013.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Waterfalls at Fairy Pools, Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, October 2013.

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.

Andy Sands / Common stump brittlestem (Psathyrella piluliformis) Buckinghamshire, England, UK, October. Focus stacked image

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

Niall Benvie / Tree covered in lichen, Glen Brittle, IIsle of Skye, Scotland, UK, September.

Niall Benvie / Trees with inter-tangled roots, pulled over during storm, in Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK, September.

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.

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

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 Hyde / Brittle Bladder / Common Fragile Fern {Cystopteris fragilis} Lathkill Dale NNR, Peak District National Park, UK. June.