Feather Star Freestyles Into Our Hearts | Nautilus Live

Have you ever seen a feather star swim? We often catch marine invertebrates living among corals and sponges but in this exciting clip, you can see a swimming crinoid in all its glorious motion. These creatures have tiny leg-like appendages called cirri that not only help them move along the sediment but also filter food. For major movements like the type seen here, feather stars move their entire arms through the water column. While there are only about 600 species of living crinoids, these animals are well-studied throughout the fossil record. Learn more about this expedition funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute: -- E/V Nautilus is exploring unknown regions of the ocean seeking out new discoveries in biology, geology, and archaeology. Join us 24/7 for live video from the seafloor and to ask questions of our explorers currently aboard Nautilus: . Follow us on social media for dive updates, expe