Feather Stars

Feather Stars

Feather stars are echinoderms, a group of animals that includes sea urchins, sea cucumber, sea stars, and brittle stars. Feather stars have numerous feathery arms that radiate out from a small body. Their mouth is located on the top of their body. Feather stars use a feeding technique called passive suspension feeding in which they extend their feeding arms into the current of the water and catch food as it filters through.

Feather stars can range in color from bright yellow to red. They are usually active at night and during the day they seek shelter under coral legdes and in the dark crevaces of underwater caves. As darkness descends upon the reef, the feather stars migrate onto reef where they extend their arms into the water currents. As water flows through their extended arms, food becomes trapped in their tube feet.

Sources

For a list of sources used in the creation of this visual guide, please see the Recommended Reading page.