What Divers Should Know About Feather Star

Feather stars, members of the class Crinoidea and order Comatulida, are captivating marine invertebrates often encountered by divers. Unlike their stalked relatives, adult feather stars are unstalked and can be observed either moving across the reef, temporarily holding fast to structures using small root-like cirri, or actively swimming through the water column. Their distinctive appearance comes from numerous jointed arms, typically subdividing from a basic five-fold symmetry into ten or more, which can further branch up to 200 times, each adorned with feathery pinnules.

These elegant echinoderms are primarily filter feeders, spreading their intricately branched arms wide to capture planktonic particles drifting in the current. Specialized tube feet, lacking suction pads, manipulate the food toward the central mouth located on their upper surface. While they inhabit a wide depth range, including shallow waters, divers commonly find feather stars perched on hard substrates such as rocky reefs, corals, or sponges. When disturbed, their jointed arms are capable of curling inward, allowing for a swift escape or a more compact form.