The Incredible Secret Lives of Sea Lilies and Feather Stars
NOAA Photo Library/Flickr
But what really sets the crinoids apart from their relatives is their incredible feathery accouterments. The creatures are rife with tiny tube feet along their frilly arms, used to capture suspended particles of plankton and other treats from the water. They are like flowers come to life in the sea, animals so exotic to our terrestrial sensibilities that they easily elicit little gasps of “oh” and “ah” upon first encounters. (And subsequent encounters as well.) I mean look at these things, they are animals!
And to see them swim? There’s really nothing like it, as you can watch in the video at the bottom.
But what really sets the crinoids apart from their relatives is their incredible feathery accouterments. The creatures are rife with tiny tube feet along their frilly arms, used to capture suspended particles of plankton and other treats from the water. They are like flowers come to life in the sea, animals so exotic to our terrestrial sensibilities that they easily elicit little gasps of “oh” and “ah” upon first encounters. (And subsequent encounters as well.) I mean look at these things, they are animals!
And to see them swim? There’s really nothing like it, as you can watch in the video at the bottom.
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05 September 2023
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