Bright orange brittle star on coral underwater.
Brittlestar
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue. Download larger version (jpg, 1.33 MB).
A brittlestar (Ophiacanthidae) observed on the twelfth dive of the Papahānaumokuākea ROV and Mapping expedition. This individual was found on an associated Chrysogorgia coral which is atypical for this group. The observation was made at 2,368 meters (7,769 feet) depth.