Crinoid facts: sea lilies and feather stars | Animal Fact Files

Crinoids are most well known for their impressive fossil forms, however, these plant-looking animals are still alive today. There are believed to be somewhere around 600 living, classified species of modern crinoids. Most crinoids of today are commonly known as feather stars and can be found in tropical waters and reef areas, however, the more ancient-looking types, commonly called sea lilies, live in much deeper waters. These sea lilies have stems connecting them to the ocean's bottom where feather stars have lost the stem and instead cling to surfaces using root-like feet. These animals are filter feeders.

Scientific Name: Class - Crinoidea
Range: most marine waters throughout the world
Size: from 2 to 12 inches (5-30.5cm) in arm length
Diet: plankton and detritus
Lifespan: n/a

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[AGDinCA]

A few added fun facts (and a tiny bit of a correction):

Fun Fact #1: in the deep, it is most common to find feather stars (unstalked crinoids) perched on large, branching corals, or on rocky ledges, or any such substrate that elevates them up into the water column. This makes it easier to capture prey floating by in the currents.

Fun Fact #2: although not frequently witnessed, about half of all sea lily species (stalked crinoids) can detach themselves to escape predation. They swim away, rather awkwardly, dragging their stalk behind them... some up to 140 meters per hour!!

Fun Fact #3: OK, this is an opinion, not a fact, but I just have to say that the gentle undulation of swimming feather stars is one of the most elegant and graceful sights in the ocean. And, a few species of sea lilies are arguably among the most beautiful creatures in the sea... stunningly pretty, really.

Itsy Bitsy Correction: some of the images you used, particularly toward the end, were not crinoids - they were brisingids. Definitely related! But also definitely not crinoids.

[bugjams]

Its crazy what different forms life takes...

[bobbynally]

I have a crinoid fossil cluster in my garden from the Mississippian era in my flower bed, it's nice to learn more about the

[JenniferLupine]

Wow! They’ve been around for a long time! Very interesting animals! Thanks

[Mr-.Facts.]

There are so many species. Life is wonderful

[paulallen]

Interesting to see existing species. I've got boxes of crinoid stem segments from the Ordovician limestone of Central Kentucky.

[lulusalsabila]

permission to save and use your videos for study, thank you🙏🏻

[michaelsimko]

Amazing to see a plant-like aquatic animal swimming!
How bout a video on freshwater bryozoans?

[heretictom]

I wanted to know what a crinoid was after reading about a regurgitalite (fossilized vomit) that was recently found containing them. Thanks for the info!

[dronetrooperfpv]

I had a green one in my fish tank many moons ago. They’re so graceful. Too bad a crab ripped all the limbs off it. I took one of the arms out of the tank and it began crawling on its own.

[Salena]

They are amazing, truly incredible, but when they swim around they look like big spiders 😩
The sea and it's creatures = definitely a separate alien life force in itself . It's like two worlds came stuck together.

[arjayagbunag]

Sea Sponges, crinoids, clams are living fossils and there are more living fossils

[dreamingissleeping]

there are fossils from them EVERYWHERE in sediments where the Perseverance rover is driving right now on Mars...