Image 5-19
Reticulated Brittle Star

The reticulated brittle star (Ophionereis reticulata) is a species of starfish commonly found in shallow parts of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Like all brittle stars, this species has a small flattened, pentagonal disc and five long, flexible arms. The disc can grow to a diameter of about half an inch (15 mm) and the arms can grow to to 5 inches (13 cm). The mottled coloration gives this starfish the ability to blend in with its background to avoid predators. It feeds mainly on detritus, algae, and diatoms.