Green Brittle Star
The green brittle star (Ophiarachna incrassata) is a large, mottled green brittle star of Indo-Pacific coral reefs, with long, banded arms. Unlike most brittle stars, it can capture small fish.
The green brittle star (Ophiarachna incrassata) is a large, mottled green brittle star of Indo-Pacific coral reefs, with long, banded arms. Unlike most brittle stars, it can capture small fish.
๐งฌ Field Guide Specimen: Open Green Brittle Star in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Deuterostomia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Predatory Brittle Star
The star hides in crevices by day and emerges at night to hunt. It coils its arms around small fish and shrimp that rest near the reef. Most brittle stars are scavengers or filter feeders.
Armed With Spines
The long, spiny arms are quite mobile and can wrap around an object. Because brittle stars lack suction-based tube feet for locomotion, they pull themselves along with an arm-rowing action.
Reef Aquarium Species
This brittle star is a popular aquarium animal, and has been known to catch tankmates. See Common Brittle Star.
Green Brittle Star at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ophiarachna incrassata |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Echinodermata |
| Class | Ophiuroidea |
| Family | Ophiodermatidae |
| Field Guide group | Deuterostomia: Echinodermata (Sea Stars & Allies) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Large green disc with banded arms spanning up to 50 cm; an active predator that grabs small fish with a sudden arm coil. |
| Class | Ophiuroidea |
| Habitat | Indo-Pacific coral reefs |