Antedon mediterranea

Mediterranean Crinoid ( Antedon mediterranea )

The Mediterranean Crinoid ( Antedon mediterranea ) is the most common representatives of feather stars ( Comatulida ) in the Mediterranean.

Features

The Mediterranean Crinoid reached a diameter of 20 centimeters and is yellow, orange, red or brown in color. The ten arms arise from a division of the original five arms and are very fragile. They carry 60 Fiederpaare that serve to filter plankton from the water. At the bottom of the small body washer sit up to 30 articulated cirrus clouds, which are used to hold on the ground, and ongoing locomotion. They are divided into 20 to 23 members. From four similar species of the Mediterranean the Mediterranean Crinoid can be distinguished mainly by the number of cirrus clouds and their members.

Way of life

Mediterranean crinoids occur in places masse. You find yourself on flow- exposed hard substrates, as Aufsitzer on gorgonians and sea squirts, on seagrasses, at greater depths ( from 50 m) on soft soils. Your arms hold perpendicular to the flow. The hung micro organisms are transported into the channel-shaped channels on the arms to the mouth. Mediterranean feather stars can freely swim by flapping their arms.

Reproduction

Mediterranean feather stars are dioecious. The eggs are attached to the Armfieder and fertilized there by driving in the open water sperm. The eggs develop larvae that live plankton for a short time, then with a stick on a hard substrate baste ( Pentacrinus stage). After about a month, the fully developed Mediterranean Crinoid detaches from the stem and moves on to nichtsessilen life.