Massive sea creature with 20 arms attached to a strawberry-shaped body found in Antarctic Ocean - WION

The study about the new species was published on July 14 in the journal Invertebrate Systematics. According to the study, researchers found the new species as they were trawling the Antarctic Ocean.

The research team went on several expeditions between 2008 and 2017 to search for a group of cryptic sea animals called Promachocrinus or Antarctic feather stars. They are enormous animals that can live anywhere from about 65 feet to 65,000 feet underwater. As per the researchers, these creatures appear 'otherworldly' while swimming. Feather stars are distinct from other infamous sea stars despite being invertebrate ocean animals. 

However, during their surveys, researchers amassed eight feather stars with distinctive body features and discovered a new species, Promachocrinus fragarious or the Antarctic strawberry feather star. They named the recently-found species after the Latin word for strawberry, as its body resembles the shape of the fruit.

The study said the Antarctic strawberry feather star has 20 arms attached to its central strawberry-like body. It can also change colour from purplish to dark reddish. However, the study does not mention the animal's overall size, but researchers claimed it is 'large.' They identified the new species based on its body shape and DNA analysis. 

Pictures of the Antarctic strawberry feather star revealed that the new species has two types of appendages. The lower, shorter arms of the newly-discovered sea creature seem almost striped and bumpy, while the upper, longer arms appear almost feathered and soft. Moreover, the lower part of the Antarctic strawberry feather star's body is roughly-triangular shape. It is wider at the top and has a narrower and rounder bottom. The circle-like indents on its body, likely left by broken-off arms, make its texture appear bumpy.

Emily McLaughlin, Nerida Wilson, and Greg Rouse were part of the research team that documented multiple species of Antarctic feather stars, including three newly discovered species.

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2023-08-11 09:14:26Z
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