This mass of brittle sea stars was dredged up from the floor of the Tasman Sea, at a depth of around 400 metres. The species was discovered in 2003. They can reach extraordinary densities on the sea floor – up to 500 animals per square metre.
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This image has been provided courtesy of the NORFANZ partners – Australia’s National Oceans Office and CSIRO and New Zealand’s Ministry of Fisheries and NIWA. The use of this image does not imply the endorsement of the NORFANZ partners of the content of this entry.