Sea Fan Feather Star
Oxycomanthus bennetti
Sighting evidence at Prinz Eugen, Bikini Atoll
Feather stars cling to the Prinz Eugen's sea fan-encrusted railings with their cirri, extending their pinnate arms into the current to filter plankton from the water column in a feeding behavior called crinoid filter-feeding. They are mobile despite their plant-like appearance, crawling actively across surfaces to find optimal current positions, and their branched arms provide microhabitat for dozens of commensal shrimp and crab species that live nowhere else.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Sea Fan Feather Star is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.