Philippine Brittle Star Of Death

clipped from blogfishx.blogspot.com Underwater death star the brittle star of death from the Phillipines this species will sit up on its armtips and form a "pseudocrevice" , maintaining the position (shown in the top diagram) for many minutes without moving Short version: Fish get too close..and then... Ophiarchna will RAPIDLY wrap its body into aspiral (as above) ..forming the "body spiral". This action apparently takes less than a SECOND. The fish is trapped by the elongate spines on the arms creating "bars" to a "prison" formed by the helically arranged arms. The brittle star holds the position for several minutes, gradually lowering the disk toward the bottom and moves its arms outward. Prey captured was digested head first as it was swallowed WHOLE by the ophiuroid.