DAISY BRITTLE STAR

Common Name

The common name for the brittle star is “starfish”

Scientific name

The brittle stars scientific name is …ophionereis schayeryi

How they look

Brittle stars are very closely related to star fish or sea stars, brittle stars have thinner and more fragile arms than true starfish do. Brittle stars don’t have suckers or tube feet on the underside of them. They have no head, no heart, no brain, and no eyes.

endangered

This star is in danger because it means that it is food for bottom feeding fish and crabs, because they often bite off their arms, but luckily brittle stars arms grow back

Located

Brittle stars can be found in shallow waters such as in tidepools and around jetties, but they also can occur in deeper waters.

Facts

The daisy brittle star got its name because when it was handed or grabbed by a predator, they have a tendency to detach their arms.

The fact that they are nocturnal, and prefer to hide under rocks during the day may make them difficult to spot.

size

Daisy brittle stars have 5-7 long spiny jointed arm that extends out from a central body disk. The central body disk measures approximately ¾ of an inch across but, the arms can reach about 3 inches long.

Habitat

The brittle sea stars habitat is under rocks, in tidepools, among kelp, holdfasts: from low tide line to water 5435’ (1657m) deep.

Reproduction

Reproduction for brittle stars usually occur during the summer.

What it eats

Brittle stars are omnivores eating both algae and meaty marine foods such as shrimp, squid, marine fish, frozen marine fish food, and mysis shrimp. Brittle stars are nocturnal animals so they feed mainly at night.