- Source: Neocrinus decorus
Neocrinus decorus is a species of stalked crinoid, or sea lily, in the family Isocrinidae.
Distribution
The species lives on hard substrates (such as on lithoherm ridges) at depths of 420 to 1,219 metres (1,378 to 3,999 ft), throughout the Caribbean Sea. It has been found off the coast of Venezuela, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, the Lesser Antilles, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Biology
Neocrinus decorus are epibenthic and may form aggregations in certain locales. Like other crinoids, they are suspension feeders, filtering out organic material and plankton that the current brings to their outstretched arms (the "filtration fan"). This species has been observed to crawl across the sea floor using its arms, "elbow-crawling" at speeds of about 36 metres per hour (120 ft/h). This locomotion is theorized to allow the sea lily to move to a location with more appropriate currents, or to evade slower predators such as cidaroid sea urchins.
References
External Links
Charles Messing's Crinoid Pages
