Flat-armed brittle star
awaiting identification*
updated
Apr 2020
Where
seen? This
agile but well camouflaged brittle star is sometimes commonly encountered
on our Northern shores, among seagrasses as well as on sand and silty
sand. Sometimes large numbers may be seen. It is more active at night
and can move about rapidly among seagrasses and over sand.
Features: Disk
diameter less than 1cm, arms about 5cm long. Central disk flat and
smooth, some are circular, others have a distinct petal-like shape
with scalloped edges. Arms wide and flattened, with tapered pointed
tips. Spines short and flattened, in a row along the sides of the arms. Long
tapered tube feet emerge from the arms. Colours usually match the
sand, often with a pattern of bars along the length of the arms. Usually
brown, beige or greenish.
The brittle stars on this page are probably from different species.
They are grouped together for convenience of display. |
Changi, Jun
05 |
Upperside, some with scalloped edges. |
Upperside of arm. |
Underside. |
Underside of arm with flat spines
and long tapered tube feet.
|
Sometimes seen in large numbers.
Chek Jawa, Aug 07
|
Chek Jawa,
Sep 10
|
Underside.
|
Underside of arm with flat spines
and long tapered tube feet.
|
*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of
display
Flat-armed brittle stars on Singapore shores |
Other sightings on Singapore shores |
Stuck on a sand collar.
Changi East (Lost Coast), Jul 24
Photo shared by Che Cheng Neo on facebook. |
Berlayar Creek, Oct 15
Photo shared by Jonathan Tan on facebook. |
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