Gorgonian feather star
COMMON NAME IN FRENCH: comatule des gorgones, étoile de mer plumeuse ENGLISH NAME : a gorgonian feather star
LATIN NAME: Cenometra bella
FAMILY: Crinoidea
In the Exhibition: the gorgonian feather star can be viewed in the Biodiversity Area, after the Tropical Lagoon.
Geographic distribution: the gorgonian feather star can be found from Burma to the Philippines, in Indonesia, in the Marshall Islands and in Fiji.
Habitat: it lives at depths ranging between 15 and 25 m attaching itself to slender black coral or sea fans using its cirri.
Description: five arms stretch out from a central body, the calyx, each of which then branches out again giving between 20 and 40 colourful feathery arms; the arms may be black, brown or white with white, grey or black pinnules.
Diet: it is both a carnivore and detrivore, feeding on microzooplankton and drifting organic matter. It uses its upper arms to filter feed.
Size: its arms measure around 14 cm in length.
Threats and protective measures: no information from IUCN.
Species characteristics and ability to occupy an ecosystem niche in the context of biodiversity: feather stars are the most ancient species in the echinoderm group. Their ancestors, called “abalone” inhabited the primitive oceans. These ancient relatives are still believed to survive today, but at depths beyond the reach of divers. Feather stars are also sedentary animals. They usually move around at night in order to feed.They provide shelter for brittlestars, small shrimps and small mimicking fish.
Resilience: feather stars have the same ability to regenerate as star fish. They are able to grow back one or more arms from its central body or calyx.
Geographic distribution: the gorgonian feather star can be found from Burma to the Philippines, in Indonesia, in the Marshall Islands and in Fiji.
Habitat: it lives at depths ranging between 15 and 25 m attaching itself to slender black coral or sea fans using its cirri.
Description: five arms stretch out from a central body, the calyx, each of which then branches out again giving between 20 and 40 colourful feathery arms; the arms may be black, brown or white with white, grey or black pinnules.
Diet: it is both a carnivore and detrivore, feeding on microzooplankton and drifting organic matter. It uses its upper arms to filter feed.
Size: its arms measure around 14 cm in length.
Threats and protective measures: no information from IUCN.
Species characteristics and ability to occupy an ecosystem niche in the context of biodiversity: feather stars are the most ancient species in the echinoderm group. Their ancestors, called “abalone” inhabited the primitive oceans. These ancient relatives are still believed to survive today, but at depths beyond the reach of divers. Feather stars are also sedentary animals. They usually move around at night in order to feed.They provide shelter for brittlestars, small shrimps and small mimicking fish.
Resilience: feather stars have the same ability to regenerate as star fish. They are able to grow back one or more arms from its central body or calyx.
SOURCES
Books:
J. SPRUNG. Trad. et adapt. J.M. BOUR. Invertébrés. Guide pratique d’identification et de maintenance. Ricordea Publishing, 2002
S. WEINBERG. Découvrir l’océan Pacifique tropical. Ed. Nathan, 2004. Coll. Découvrir.
A.et A. FERRARI. Récifs coralliens. La faune sous marine des coraux. Ed Delachaux et Niestlé, 2004.
W.BAUMEISTER. Guide de la faune sous-marine. Mer Rouge. Océan Indien. Tome 1 : Les invertébrés. Ed Eugen Ulmer, 1997
Photos Pauline BINCTEUX
Connect to give your advice
