Brittle Star Guide

Class Ophiuroidea (from the Greek "ophis" for snake and "ura" for tail).

Some species, like Ophiocoma wendtii , use light-sensitive crystals on their skin to "see" their surroundings without actual eyes. brittle star

They can voluntarily shed their arms (a process called autotomy ) to escape predators and grow them back later. Class Ophiuroidea (from the Greek "ophis" for snake

They are essential ecosystem engineers, stirring up seafloor sediment and recycling nutrients. like Ophiocoma wendtii