Without stalks, feather stars move among the rocks.
Feather starfish, more commonly called feather stars, bear cuplike bodies surrounded by featherlike arms. These invertebrate animals bear a strong resemblance to pre-Cambrian fossils and belong to the phylum most closely related to vertebrates. Living in tropical waters, feather stars lack circulatory, respiratory and excretory systems, and their nervous system lacks a brain. They do, however, have a water vascular system and distinct sexes.
Phylum
The feather star belongs to the phylum Echinodermata. Echinoderms most often live in coral reefs, but they live at all depths, where the larvae swim, the juveniles are attached and the adults may or may not be attached. Originating in the Cambrian era, echinoderms use their tube feet to move, feed, excrete and reproduce. These bumpy bodies have pentaradial symmetry, meaning they have five identical protrusions around their bodies.
Subphylum and Class
Biologists classify the feather star as a member of the subphylum Crinozoa and the class Crinoidea. Members of the Crinoidea class include feather stars and sea lilies, which both have mouths on the upper side of their bodies and the adults have radial protrusions, as opposed to globular echinoderms, such as sand dollars. The crinoids' five main arms separate with hundreds of smaller limbs, which resemble ferns or feathers.
Order
The feather star falls into the order Comatulida, which consists of unstalked crinoids. This order only contains feather stars, as adult sea lilies remain attached to rocks and other surfaces throughout adulthood. Adult feather stars do not have suckers on the end of their arms, and they move very little and only when pressured. Scientists refer to them as suspension feeders, because the feather star uses its tube feet to capture food in the currents and funnel the food into its mouth.
Family and Species
Biologists further divide feather stars into 18 families, conprising more than 500 species. In shallow waters, the family Comasteridae contains the most species. In general, species of feather star vary greatly in size and color. Because feather stars are toxic and distasteful, most species have brightly colored arms, but some are dark or stark white. Scientists know little about the individual species of feather stars, because the creatures often prove too brittle or deep to capture.
Related posts
Starfish are one of the most well-known of the echinoderms.Echinodermata is a phylum of sea creatures that are very symmetrical. They often gain five or more arms that come from a central body. Th...
You can turn any guitar into an electro-acoustic with the MacIntyre Feather Pickup.Acoustic Feather pickups are contact pickups for acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments made by McIntyre...
Modern icing can be traced back to 18th century England where it started as a decorative glaze. It was called icing because it was supposed to look like ice when finished. As confectionary delight...
Yarn feathers can be used for a wide variety of crafts.Feathers can be made out of a wide material including yarn. Yarn feathers need a strong base to attach the strands of yarn to or else the fea...
Peacock feathers are vibrant, enhancing the look of jewelry.Peacock feathers are vibrant with tones of teal, black, gold and a variety of other hues. This makes them popular additions to a multitu...
