Crinoid (Feather Star)

The Ibo Pinnacles are almost entirely encrusted in feather stars, with hundreds of individuals draping every available surface in arms that range from vivid yellow and orange to deep burgundy and black. These filter-feeding echinoderms extend their pinnate arms into the current to trap plankton, and the current acceleration between the pinnacles makes this one of the most productive feeding environments in the archipelago. The extraordinary density of crinoids in turn supports numerous commensal species — squat lobsters, clingfish, and shrimp — that live hidden within the arms and can only be found by divers willing to look closely.