Virtual Travel-Meet a Feather Star

Feather stars, or comatulids, are echinoderms that belong to the class Crinoidea (phylum Echinodermata) which they share with the sea lilies.

Unlike the latter group, however, feather stars are not obliged to remain in one place; instead they can swim or even crawl over short distances before attaching themselves to some support. 

Swimming movements are achieved by waving the arms up and down in a slow, controlled manner. Feather stars are widely distributed throughout tropical and warm-temperate waters, with the main center of their distribution being focused on the Indo-Pacific region. 

An estimated 550 species are known.

By far the most striking part of a feather star's anatomy is their delicate, ostrich-plumelike arms that are usually highly colored. Some species can have more than 200 arms. 

Feather stars are suspension feeders and, when feeding, unfurl their arms and extend the many pinnules into the water current. Feather stars usually carefully choose their feeding site; typically they select a site on a high vantage point at an angle to the current. 

As the water flows between the pinnules, additional tiny tentacles (known as podia) that are covered with mucus trap the many tiny food particles. These are then transferred to special grooves that run the inner length of the pinnules, where they are transferred down and inward to the mouth region. 

From here the food passes directly through the esophagus which opens into an intestine. Most feeding takes place at night, when the majority of reef fishes are resting, in order to avoid the grazing effects of these predators. 

Although feather stars react almost immediately to being touched and hurriedly fold away their arms, most species can also shed their arms if attacked. The arms will regenerate in time . As daylight approaches, however, and the risk of predation increases, they move away and hide among the crevices of the reef face.

#featherstar #crinoid #comatulids

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Take a virtual tour through some of my photos: https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Travel-Photography

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Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is an Upper Valley freelance photographer and writer who loves to attend concerts and local events in and around Weathersfield and the Upper Valley.

If you have anything you think I should post during our Stay At Home Time drop me an email: photosbynanci@comcast.com