WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Indian Feather Star

Stephanometra indica

Also known as: Crinoid Feather Star, Feather Starfish, Sea Lily, Storked Sea Lily

Adult
@fishx6 · Makunudhoo Island Resort, Maldives · August 20061 / 7
01

Overview

Found singly or in groups, during the day anchored under dead and live corals and rubble, crawling out nocturnally to high coral, rocky ledges, and outcrops, over current swept areas close to the reef. They can also be found nocturnally swimming freely feeding.

Feather stars are usually found curled up during the day, but at night they extend their feathery arms to catch plankton in the currents.
They float, crawl, roll, walk or even swim through the current to different locations.
Some small animals like clingfish and crustaceans can be found in the arms of feathers stars.
Feather stars have both their mouth and anus on the upper surface.
Very much like sea stars if their arms are damaged they can regenerate at will.

02

How to identify

Pattern
stripes
Body shape
feathers

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 7
LIVES IN

Found singly or in groups, during the day anchored under dead and live corals and rubble, crawling out nocturnally to high coral, rocky ledges, and outcrops, over current swept areas close to the reef.

04

Adult photos 7

05

Discussion 1

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

1 comment

  • Mewstone· 17 Mar 2013

    Does Stephanometra indica come in a variety of colours in the stripes? Is it always striped. Images on other websites seem to suggest it might be black and white/grey, too. The stripes also seem to vary from equal sized and small to uneven and large.

ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumEchinodermata
  3. classCrinoidea
  4. orderComatulida
  5. familyMariametridae
  6. genusStephanometra
  7. speciesStephanometra indica (Smith, 1876)

SourcesWoRMSSeaLifeBase

06

More in the family

Comatulida