Brittle Stars

[clgsamson]

very very nice pix, Ken. See? I was right you belong to the top ten photogs here in SB

 

[David P]

where was this? looks like UW swimthrough(or was it the bridge?), every time I go there Im amazed by the number of brittles.

 

[parabolic]

Thanks Larry, Mike, caloy. David P all of these were at Coral Reef except the sarcastic fringehead which was at Cat Rock. Caloy, top ten here is VERY good company, thank you.

 

[CompuDude]

Not at all. I rarely find this species unless they are tangled up in a kelp holdfast. Almost never out in the open in masses like you see in the northern Channel Islands. Heck, the sheephead here would quickly decimate them. I see other species of brittle stars, but they are usually under rocks.

True, although everything I've been told has said the brittle star invasion of the northern channel islands isn't a healthy thing (it seldom is healthy for one species to so predominate an area), so I was wondering why you'd want them to take over at Catalina, too...

They sure are purty, though.

 

[123Scuba.com]

I can't stop:

Wow, I love this pic. Great composition!

 

[parabolic]

True, although everything I've been told has said the brittle star invasion of the northern channel islands isn't a healthy thing (it seldom is healthy for one species to so predominate an area), so I was wondering why you'd want them to take over at Catalina, too...

I've been watching the late summer "bloom" of brittle stars at Anacapa, Cruz, Rosa and Miguel for several decades now. My uneducated theory is that this is not an "invasion", they are actually there all year. For some reason, probably reproduction, they show themselves in great numbers in the late summer and fall months. They are generally gone (not visible) by December, and don't appear again until the next July or August. I'm sure a marine biologist could confirm or refute this, but I can't imagine that these little starfish swim from somewhere to get to the northern islands in such huge numbers.

 

[CompuDude]

I'm not entirely convinced, but that's a gorgeous pic! What gear are you using?

 

[parabolic]

CompuDude - I'm not sure that I am all that convinced either . I just know that they are there for about 2-3 months and not there (or not visible) for the rest of the year. That last one was with a Fuji S2 Pro in a Subal housing, 2 Sea and Sea YS-90DX strobes, Nikon 12-24mm. ++Ken++

 

[drbill]

True, although everything I've been told has said the brittle star invasion of the northern channel islands isn't a healthy thing (it seldom is healthy for one species to so predominate an area), so I was wondering why you'd want them to take over at Catalina, too...

They sure are purty, though.

Didn't say I wanted to see them take over... I just want to see them with greater frequency and in situations where I can film them more easily.

 

[jonix]

nice shots ken! thanks for sharing