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

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 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

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Common sunstar (Crossaster papposus), brittlestars and sealoch anemones form a typical undersea community in a Scottish sea loch, Loch Duich, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April 2011

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

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

Juergen Freund / Brittlestar on fan coral, Caribbean

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

Michele Westmorland / Basket star tentacles (Euryalina sp), Palau, Micronesia.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

David Shale / Brittle star (Ophiuroid). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Brittle Star (Ophiuroid). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Brittle Star (Ophiuroid). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

Alex Mustard / Sponge brittle star (Ophiactis sp) clambering over a Red boring sponge (Cliona delitrix) covered in Sponge zoanthids (Parazoanthus parasiticus) East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Ind...

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Peacock worms (Sabella pavonina), sealoch anemones (Protanthea simplex) and various brittlestars colonise a boulder on the floor of a Scottish sea loch, Loch Duich, Scotland, UK, June

David Shale / Soft coral (Narella or Paranarella sp) with Snake brittlestar, from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Close up of Brittle star (Ophiuroidea) from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Brittle star (Opiuroidea) on black coral, from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Soft coral (Narella or Paranarella sp) with snake brittlestar, from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

Alex Mustard / Boulder star coral (Montastraea annularis) spawning at night in late summer, showing the onset of the synchronised release of bundles of eggs and sperm with a Ruby brittlestar (Ophioderma iubicundum,...

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011. Did...

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia sea anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, October...

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina) on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Scotland, UK, October 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 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...

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...

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...

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dahlia anemone (Urticina felina / Tealia felina), on bed of Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, August 2011

MYN / Jerry Monkman / Daisy brittle star (Ophiopholis aculeata) Rye, New Hampshire, USA January. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Jerry Monkman / Daisy brittle star (Ophiopholis aculeata) Rye, New Hampshire, USA, January. meetyourneighbours.net project

Michele Westmorland / Giant basket star (Astrophyton muricatum) with arms extended for feeding at night. St Vincent, West-Indies, Caribbean, May.

Norbert Wu / Red Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) and brittlestars, Campbell River, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

David Shale / Deatil of deepsea Brittle star (Ophiuroidea) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Brittlestar (Ophiuroidea) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Brittlestar (Ophiuroidea) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Brittlestar (Ophiuroidea) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

Juergen Freund / Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus) and brittlestars on a soft coral (Dendronephthya sp.) New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

Juergen Freund / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix purpurea) on gorgonian fan coral, Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Detail of a Sea Pen showing polyps with eight arms (octocoral) and Brittlestars that have curled themselves around the stem of the sea pen, Palawan, Philippines.

Juergen Freund / Detail of Giant basket star (Astrophyton muricatum) Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Detail of Giant basket star (Astrophyton muricatum) Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Brittle star (Ophiothela sp.) on blue starfish (Linckia laevigata). Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Brittlestar inside a Featherstar (Ophiarachna sp) Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Tiny Brittle stars / Snake stars (Ophiothela danae) on a sponge. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Hundreds of tiny Snake stars / Brittle stars (Ophiothela danae) entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) Rinca, Komodo Natioal Park, Indonesia, October

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix species) on Sponge, Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October

Georgette Douwma / Brittlestar (Ophiothrix sp) perched on a Blue stalked seasquirt / tunicate, Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October

David Shale / Basket star / Euryalid ophiuroid (Gorgonocephalus sp) from Sea Mount on Mid Atlantic Ridge, depth around 800m, June 2010

David Shale / Brittlestar (Ophiuroidea) on Gorgonian seafan coral mid Atlantic Ridge, June 2010

Alex Hyde / Brittle star (Ophiurida sp.) close up view of underside, Isle of Mull, Scotland. June 2010.

Alex Hyde / Brittle star (Ophiurida sp.) photographed on a white background. Isle of Mull, Scotland. June 2010.

Georgette Douwma / 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 day it hides under coral...

Georgette Douwma / 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 day it hides under coral...