This large orange-red brittle star resting temporarily atop the open brain coral spends most of its time hiding in the shadows. However, the smell of food quickly brings it and several other brittle stars out of hiding. Brittle stars can move surprisingly fast as they scramble about seeking food morsels and stuffing them into their mouths with flexible arms. Some species are even capable of catching fish!
Also visible in this photo are several corals, including a small but rapidly growing colony of Montipora digitata near the upper right corner. A young giant clam (Tridacna derasa) is in the foreground. A scarlet cleaner shrimp with long white antennae is visible to the left of the brittle star.