Elegant feather star

The elegant feather star (Tropiometra carinata) is a species of crinoid in the family Tropiometridae.

Description

Elegant feather stars may grow to 20 cm in total length. They are variably coloured in yellow to brown and are occasionally variegated in yellow and brown. They have ten long arms with ciliated side branches that taper to a point. They have 20-30 cirri per arm.

Distribution

These animals are found off the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Mozambique as well as circumtropically. They are seen subtidally, up to at least 51 metres (167 ft) deep.

Ecology

Elegant feather stars are usually found singly on shallow reefs and are more abundant on deeper reefs. If displaced they may swim using their arms. Commensal organisms such as the myzostomid worm Myzostoma fuscomaculatum and the crinoid shrimp Hippolyte catagrapha are found on the specimens found in False Bay.

References

1. Crinoid shrimp
2. Myzostoma fuscomaculatum
3. Allogalathea elegans
4. Liatris
5. Whittle Rock
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