All crinoids are suspension feeders. The fine, threadlike tube feet lining the side branches of the arms flick drifting food particles into a groove, from where cilia carry the food to the central mouth. This member of Hyocrinidae, the first record of this family from the tropical western Atlantic, is likely a species new to science.
Crinoid
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Gulf of Mexico 2017.
All crinoids are suspension feeders. The fine, threadlike tube feet lining the side branches of the arms flick drifting food particles into a groove, from where cilia carry the food to the central mouth. This member of Hyocrinidae, the first record of this family from the tropical western Atlantic, is likely a species new to science. Download larger version (jpg, 991 KB).
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