Paul Naylor
Rosy feather star
Another member of the echinoderm phylum, feather stars share some characteristics with true starfish, but also have their very own intriguing adaptations and behaviours, which make them a fascinating find for SCUBA divers!
Scientific name
Antedon bifidaWhen to see
April – October when SCUBA diving.Species information
Category
Statistics
Diameter 10-20 cm, most abundant between depths of 15m and 40m.Conservation status
Common.
Habitats
About
Only found in deeper water, feather stars spend most of their time anchored to the seabed, seaweed or sometimes sponge, using extremely strong claw like appendages. They are suspension feeders, sifting out bits of plankton from the surrounding seawater using their tube feet, a characteristic of all echinoderms!How to identify
Ten feathery arms, 5-10cm in length and usually red and white in colour, sometimes looking mottled.Distribution
Common around British coast, except for south east.Did you know?
Feather stars can swim by sweeping their arms and down!
Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
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Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
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