> [!summary]- Classification
**Kingdom**:: [Animalia](Animalia.md)
**Phylum**:: [Echinodermata](Echinodermata.md)
**Subphylum**:: Asterozoa
**Superclass**::
**Class**:: Ophiuroidea
**Subclass**::
**Superorder**::
**Order**:: Phrynophiurida
**Suborder**:: Euryalina
**Superfamily**::
**Family**:: Gorgonocephalidae
**Subfamily**::
**Genus**:: Astrophyton
**Species**:: A. muricatum
**Vernacular**:: Giant basket star
## Photos
*[110 - 2023-02-26 - Jardins Precheur - Saint Pierre - Martinique](110%20-%202023-02-26%20-%20Jardins%20Precheur%20-%20Saint%20Pierre%20-%20Martinique.md)*
*[108 - 2023-02-25 - Kay Maréchal - Saint Pierre - Martinique](108%20-%202023-02-25%20-%20Kay%20Maréchal%20-%20Saint%20Pierre%20-%20Martinique.md) - I don't know why this one is orange with only some little black parts. It don't seems like a distinct species*
*[110 - 2023-02-26 - Jardins Precheur - Saint Pierre - Martinique](110%20-%202023-02-26%20-%20Jardins%20Precheur%20-%20Saint%20Pierre%20-%20Martinique.md) - In the middle of other animals. It's curious, because, hidden like this, I can't imagine how it will deploy its arm and get fed... Maybe by the current flow made by the sponge. I don't remember if there was current or not in this dive, but it is very likely to.*
## Notes
This animal can deploy its arm by night and reach more than 1m in span. I never saw one by night unfortunately, but would love it!
By day, they looks like a giant knot bag. What we see is the arms completely folded.
In France, it's an animal that I saw maybe once in ~50 dives. Very rare and not higher than 30m. In Martinique, I saw some at every dive, I even stopped to picture them... 😄
## References
- https://doris.ffessm.fr/Especes/Astrophyton-muricatum-Gorgonocephale-geant-1264