According to a study from the Marine Biodiversity Journal, sexual reproduction was not evident in O. mirabilis due to lack of gonads among multiple populations.

Autotomy, also known as self-amputation, is a defensive mechanism where an organism can dissociate from a body part to escape high-stress situations, such as predation.

[4] This is helpful for species who inhabit irregular environments: hooking onto sponges or gorgonians can subject O. mirabilis to erratic movements where they may separate their disc tissues.

Ophiothela mirabilis, like most species of Ophiuroidea, has a simple digestive system with a short esophagus and a pouch-like stomach.

Epizoic species, such as O. mirabilis, do not feed on their hosts; they can eat settled detritus, filamentous algae, or mucus from their coral colony.

Habitation on a host aids suspension feeding by providing an elevated position for easier access to capture plankton with their feet and arm spines.

[6] The larvae feed on planktonic organisms and have a ciliated band (tiny hairs) that helps them to move and capture food.

Once the larvae have reached a certain size, they undergo metamorphosis and settle onto a suitable substrate, where they begin their sessile juvenile stage.

[6] The metamorphosis of brittle stars involves the breakdown of the ciliated band, the growth of tube feet and arms, and the development of a hard exoskeleton to protect the juvenile as it transitions to a sessile lifestyle.

[6] After several months, the juveniles reach maturity and develop into fully grown adult forms, which can reproduce and continue the life cycle.

[6] This stage is characterized by the presence of ciliated bands and tube feet, which help the vitellaria move around and explore the surrounding environment before settling down.

The muscles of brittle stars are arranged in a complex network, allowing for a wide range of movements such as twisting, bending, and coiling.

[7] Similarly, bending movements of brittle stars are controlled by a complex network of muscle fibers that run along the arms and disk.

[13] The rowers are covered in cilia, which beat in a coordinated fashion to generate a wave-like motion that propels the brittle star forward.

[13] Overall, Ophiothela mirabilis is a highly mobile species of brittle star that uses a combination of bending, twisting, coiling, and rowing to move and respond to changes in its environment.

[14] Recently, invasive O. Mirabilis have been observed in two additional marine realms: the Tropical Atlantic and Temperate South American.