Upsidedown
brittle star
Ophiothrix sp.
Family Ophiotrichidae
updated
Apr 2020
Where
seen? This sea star with an odd preference to be upside
down is sometimes seen among seaweeds and seagrasses on our Northern
shores. Especially active at night. Usually seen alone.
Features: Disk diameter less than
1cm, arms about 5cm long. Disk thick, petal-shaped. Arms long with
blunt cylindrical spines arranged all around the arms like bristles of a bottle brush. Often seen upside
down and if turned the right side up will turn upside down again.
This may be an adaptation to feeding on substances on the water surface? |
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Upperside. |
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Pulau Sekudu, Jun 05 |
Underside. |
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| Upsidedown
brittle stars on Singapore shores |
| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
Punggol, Nov 20
Photo shared by Vincent Choo on facebook. |
Pasir Ris Park, Sep 20
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
Coney Island, Nov 15
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr. |
References
- Lane, David
J.W. and Didier Vandenspiegel. 2003. A
Guide to Sea Stars and Other Echinoderms of Singapore.
Singapore Science Centre. 187pp.
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