RFH9WH0H–Giant (or Gorgon head) basket star (Astroboa nuda), showing Christmas tree-like branches and tight spirals, used for filter feeding. Red Sea, Egypt, N

RMCMNE0M–Basket star filter feeding night with rays fully extended. Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

RMBF1HFE–Gorgonocephalus caryi, basket star, gorgons head, White Sea, Russia

RFAW9R7G–Giant basket star astrophyton muricatum

RMDX073W–An unidentified Red Basket Star, possibly Astroboa sp. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. Bali Sea, Indian Ocean

RFMTF9C1–I encountered this basket star (Astroboa nudi) on a night dive, about half an hour after sunset. During the day these echinoderms - the largest of the brittle stars - are seldom seen as they hide in reef crevices. The animal was just emerging from its daytime shelter, in a typical tangle of its many repeatedly branching and highly flexible arms. It would later climb to the top of a coral outcrop and extend its arms into the current - covering a substantial area of over a metre across - in order to catch small planktonic animals, which would then be passed to the central mouth. Egyptian Red Sea

RFJ2FMMC–Basket Star photographed down at 80ft in southern British Columbia

RMCC97GW–Basket star

RFC80BKK–Basket Star feeding at night, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands.

RMAD3MT4–Caribbean Basket Star Astrophyton muricatum

RMEBNKDE–Medusa-head star, Gorgon's head, Basket star (Gorgonocephalus caputmedusae, Gorgonocephalus caput-medusae, Gorgonocephalus caput medusae, Asterias caput-medusae, Gorgonocephalus scutatum), view from above

RMDJ5DTH–Basket Star Cut-out

RF2P666EY–Adult sea otter (Enhydra lutris), feeding on a basket star in the Inian Islands, Southeast Alaska, United States of America, North America