Arms of the Abyss https://deepseanews.com/2024/01/arms-of-the-abyss/

"#BasketStars, so named for the dizzying and multi-branching nature of their convoluted arms, often perch atop #coral or rocky formations. From this high mount, the #BasketStar can extends its arms in faster moving waters away from the seafloor to ensnare drifting #zooplankton for food. Its arms, equipped with tiny hooks and sticky mucus, capture prey that gets passed to its central mouth."

#DeepSea #Echinoderms #Animals #Invertebrates #Biodiversity

Basket stars, relatives of the starfish, can reproduce asexually by simply ripping themselves in half.

#science #sciencefacts #basketstar #asexualreproduction

basket star off the coast of singapore...

#basketstar #singapore #animatedgif