A Jogging Flower

A relative of the starfish, crinoids are neither abundant nor well understood. Also known as "sea lilies" or "feather stars" the strange creatures consist of a mouthpart, feeding arms and generally have a stem that connects them to the sea floor. Scientists have long known that crinoids were capable of moving themselves, albeit at a very slow pace, to outmaneuver predators such as sea urchins. Their fastest speed had been clocked at .6 meters per hour, which means their entire existence is probably a lot like one of those dreams where you are being chased by something but can only move in slow-motion. However, researchers viewing the sea floor in a submersible off Grand Bahama recorded astonishing footage of a stemmed crinoid practically galloping along the ocean floor.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Insert Chariots of Fire theme here.


Sea-lily or feather-star, neocrinus decorus, in normal feeding posture. Longer and grainier version of the video.

More like this

Our most popular post from our Blogger days did not fair so well in the migration to SB and Movable Type. I am reposting it here now for posterity. A relative of the starfish, crinoids are neither abundant nor well understood. Also known as "sea lilies" or "feather stars" the strange creatures…
But I just want to cuddle! Bathynomus giganteus In what might be described as the world's most destructive termite problem, Hotboro Island is actually being eaten away by isopods only about an inch long. Isopods are not in fact insects, but primitive crustaceans ranging in size from the size of a…
Scientists interested in treating infertility in humans are turning to an unlikely source for inspiration: naked mole-rats. The rats--actually more closely related to porcupines and chinchillas than moles or rats--live in large colonies much like ants. In these colonies, one dominant female called…
In celebration of World Oceans Day, Mark Powell, Director of Fish Conservation-Ocean Conservancy, has painstakingly put together a list of many of the leading ocean bloggers, and Zooillogix made the cut! Click here to check out Mark's awesome blog, Blogfishx, and read up on some of the bloggers…