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| crinoids text index | photo index |
| Phylum Echinodermata > Class Crinoidea > Order Comatulida |
| Purple
feather star Comatula purpurea Family Comasteridae updated Oct 08 Where seen? One seen on Chek Jawa among coral rubble. Features: About 15cm in diameter with arms. This is the only 10-armed feather star seen in Singapore. The oral disk is bulbous and surrounded by short structures (pinnules) that are tipped with combs to keep the disk clean. It has several hooked structures (cirri) on the underside that form a 'claw' that the animal uses to cling to things. Animals such as squat lobsters (Allogalathea elegans) and small crabs (Harrovia albolineata) are said to shelter among their arms. Some Comatula species live on soft bottoms that are sheltered yet have some current flows that bring food. These sit on the bottom and extend their arms like the spokes of a wheel with only the tips of the arms angled upwards. |
 Chek Jawa, Jun 05  Bulbous oral disk surrounded by pinnules. |
 Several cirri on the underside form a claw-like structure to cling to things. |
 Clinging onto a sponge with the cirri. |
 The pinnules near the oral disk have combs on their tips to help clean the oral disk. |
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 East Coast, May 08 |
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