Gorgonocephalus caryi - basket star - Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - 2012-05-17

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: English: Gorgonocephalus caryi (? = Gorgonocephalus eucnemis), a basket star, on display in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. This is the mouth of the animal. The top (from which the arms emanate) is facing away from the viewer. Gorgonocephalus caryi are animals, not plants. They seek out the highest part of the reef, and anchor themselves there. They wave their arms back and forth, seeking small plankton and krill to feed on. Their arms have hooks and spines on them, which trap the food. Small appendages ("feet") on the arms then move the food toward the mouth. Gorgonocephalus caryi prefer cold waters, or very deep and cold water. They were first identified in 1842, but not named and described until 1860. Date: 17 May 2012. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/23165290@N00/7282107100/. Author: Tim Evanson.