- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Echinodermata
- Subphylum: Asterozoa
- Class: Ophiuroidea
- Order: Ophiurida
- Suborder: Ophiurina
- Family: Ophiotrichidae
- Scientific name: Ophiothrix fragilis
- Norwegian: hårstjerne, skjørslangestjerne
Characteristics:
The common brittle has a hairy appearance, due to all the fine spines, seven on each arm segment. There are also spines on the central disk. It comes in a wide range of colors like green, brown, orange, yellow or red. The disk may reach a diameter of 2 cm and the five arms a length of 10 cm.
Habitat:
It can be found hard substrate, sand or gravel from the subtidal zone and down to 350 meters.
Distribution:
It is widespread in the East Atlantic Ocean, from Lofoten, Norway to West Africa.