echinoderms text index | photo index
Phylum Echinodermata > Class Stellaroida > Subclass Ophiuroidea
Photo index of brittle stars on Singapore shores

Rirst size given is for diameter of central disk, second size for length of arms

Upside down
brittle star

Ophiothrix sp.

Bottle-brush
brittle star

awaiting identification

Flat armed
brittle star

awaiting identification
 

Basket star
Family Euryalidae
1cm; 5cm. Disk thick, petal-shaped. Arms withlong cylindrical spines held like a bottle brush. Often seen upside down. Among seagrasses and seaweeds. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores, especially at night. less than 1cm; 2-5cm. Disk thick and star-shaped. Arms with long cylindrical spines all around so it resembles a bottle-brush. Muddy silty areas among seagrasses. Commonly seen on our Northern shores, especially at night. less than 1cm; 5cm. Disk flat, circular. Arms wide, flat with flat spines along the sides. Barred pattern along the length of the arms. Muddy silty areas near seagrasses. Commonly seen on our Northern shores especially at night.   10cm in diameter with arms. Each arm branched into 'tendrils'. On coral rubble near living reefs. Rarely seen.

Violet
brittle star

Macrophiothrix nereidina

Blue lined
brittle star

Macrophiothrix lineocaerulea

Very long-armed
brittle star

Macrophiothrix longipedia
   
1cm; 10-15cm. Disk thick, pentagonal, arms flat broad, transparent long spines. Pink with purple patterns. Sometime seen on reefy Southern shores. 1cm; 10-20cm.Disk thick, pentagonal. Arms long with long cylindrical spines held like a bottle brush. Arms with pair of dark lines that extend onto central disk. In rubbly areas. Sometimes seen on our Northern shore especially at night. less than 1cm; arms 20-30cm about 2cm wide with spines, which are only along the sides of the arms. Arms may be banded. Usually in coral rubble with only their long arms extended. Commonly seen at night.    

Tiny in-a-sponge
brittle star

Ophiactis savignyi

Tiny colourful
brittle star

Ophiothela danae

Tiny orange
brittle star

Ophiothela mirabilis

Feather star
brittle star

Ophiomaza cacaotica

Ghost
brittle star

awaiting identification
Whole animal 1-2cm. Common in Chocolate sponges, sometimes in large numbers. Whole animal 1cm. Sometimes seen on soft corals, sea fans. Whole animal 1-2cm. Sometimes seen on flowery soft corals, leathery sea fans, leathery soft corals. Whole animal 1-2cm. Sometimes seen on feather stars. 1cm: 10-12cm. White with speckles of colours that match its host. Found in Ball flowery soft corals.
         
         

These are NOT brittle stars

Bristleworms

Phylum Annelida

Feather star
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Crinoidea

Feeding tentacles
of a buried
sea cucumber
   

how to tell apart



photo index of
echinoderms on this site
Phylum Echinodermata
all echinoderms

With arms

  many, feathery
feather stars

five, bristley
brittle stars

sea stars
small <10cm
large >10cm

Hard
  flat, coin-like
sand dollars

spherical, spiny
sea urchins
heart urchins

Soft

  sea cucumbers
short <10cm
long >10cm
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