GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE circumtropical: e.Africa - Indonesia - Polynesia - Caribbean

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Marine, near-shore

KEY FEATURES: Very small, to 6cm Total Diameter. Disc 6mm, arm 25mm. Small brittle-star, usually with 6 arms. The scaly disc is mottled brown and gray or green. Arms brown with dark red-brown bands. Dorsal surface covered with small overlapping scales, and very large paired dorsal shields, with a few scattered spines. First few arm segments have 6-7 spines, those beyond have 5 spines.