General Description

Small animal with short tapered arms. Three relatively long arm spines, minute combs of papillae at the base of the arm, many minute tentacle scales. Colour: disc patterned brown, white and grey, arms fainted banded brown and pale. Disc to 1 cm in diameter, arms to 2 cm in length.

Biology

This brittle star skates across the seafloor by vigorous movements of its arms. It is presumably a carnivore of small fauna.

Habitat

Soft sediment, in depths 2-500 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Indo-Malay region to Japan, including Australia.

Species Group

Seastars and allies › Brittle stars

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

1 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

MoV 666

Identify

• Brittle stars

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed