Ooooo, new brittle star hitchhiker! ID please

mr_bill

Active Member
Whoopy!!
I think I just spotted a small brittle star arm on a new coral. Ophiura, or other seastar knowledgeable people... Is there a black brittlestar which has either yellow or white bands around the arms? The arm I saw was only visible for a second and it did not like the flashlight one bit so I couldn't get a picture in time. I'll work on getting the picture, but in the mean time does anyone know of a brittlestar with those color traits? I estimate the star being 1.5"-2" from tip to tip.
I'm very excited, and would like to prepare for this unexpected new tank inhabitant.
 

ophiura

Active Member
There are several common small hitch hiker brittlestars that come in on rock and coral. probably a species of Ophiactis. Coloration is highly variable, and there are well over 2200 species
Impossible to tell based on this description. THe hitch hikers do not get very large, commonly reproduce, are rarely offspring of larger species of brittlestars, and are considered beneficial.
 

mr_bill

Active Member
Aww, ok ..
I was aware of the white hitchhikers, but this brittle seems to be bigger. I just flashed the tank again and was able to see two of its arms. I now estimate the star at 2"-2.5" which puts it in the medium sized brittlestar range I'm thinking. If I can get a picture of at least one of the arms do you think it would be nameable? My other brittle ID'd as a Ophiocomid, and is doing great in my tank, I'd really like to do the same with this second one if I can.
Thanks ophiura
 

ophiura

Active Member
Sure if you can get an arm pic I might have a chance...is it under or in the rock? Also a pic of your large brittlestar
to verify the Ophiocoma ID. It is a common "catch all" group.
 

mr_bill

Active Member
Here's a better shot of the red brittle. The gray pattern on the arms almost looks like stitches interupted by the black bars. I couldn't get a pic of the smaller new star yet, but still trying.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Excellent
That is Ophiocoma wendtii
, recently a topic of "fame" as it was studied by lots of scientists who discovered it (and many other brittlestars) have hundreds of optically perfect microscopic lenses of calcite in there arms.
The animal, you may notice, is darker during the day than at night. Basically it has cells that act as "sun glasses" and shield the photoreceptor cells under the lenses during the day. Its very cool. We have no ideas really how they process this information or what they can "see" but it is really cool

A great star!! Thanks for the pic!
 

mr_bill

Active Member
Seastars really are amazing critters. This particular one is my favorite invert in my tank. Sorry emerald, and hermit crab lovers, but there is kind of grace when it comes to watching these animals move around my tank.
 
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