Serpent-skinned Brittle Star

Brittle stars can reproduce in three different ways, sexual, asexual, and larval. In sexual reproduction, they engage in broadcast spawning, which is releasing eggs and sperm in the water where external fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg turns into planktonic larvae that drift before settling on the ocean floor; then, they mature into adult brittle stars. During asexual reproduction, they reproduce through regeneration. When an arm is lost, it can regenerate and, in some species, form a new arm. This form of reproduction allows certain species to enhance their survival. And lastly, larval development, following fertilization, brittle star larvae undergo various developmental stages before transitioning into adulthood. In some species, larvae may remain attached to the parent until they can sustain themselves.