Echinoderm Collection (page 18)

Graeffs sea cucumbers
Yellow sea cucumbers (Colochirus robustus) on an orange sponge. Sea cucumbers are scavengers that travel across the sea bed using their tentacles to search for plankton

Basket star (Astroboa nuda) on a reef. Basket stars are a species of brittle star. Brittle stars are related to starfish but, unlike starfish

Prehistoric brittle star fossils. Fossilised remains of Sinosaura kelheimense brittle stars from the Jurassic period (around 200-145 million years ago). Found in Bavaria, Germany

Luzon starfish regenerating its limbs

Necklace starfish and crinoid. Necklace starfish (Fromia monilis, centre) on a coral reef with a crinoid (order crinoidea, lower right). Photographed off Rinca island, Indonesia

Yellow sea cucumber (Colochirus robustus, yellow) on a sponge (orange). Photographed in Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Sea apple (Pseudocolochirus violaceus) on a reef. Sea apples are rounded sea cucumbers that feed by filtering sea water with their tentacled crown (fronds, upper centre)

Red seastar and seasquirts
Red seastar (Fromia milleporella) amongst seasquirts (Atriolum robustum) on a reef. Photographed off Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Cushion seastar. Close-up of the underside of a cushion starfish (Culcita novaeguineae). Photographed off Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Elegant seastar on a reef
Elegant seastar(Fromia nodosa) amongst corals on a reef. Photographed off Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Blue seastar (Linckia laevigata) leaning against a sea fan (gorgonian coral) on a reef. Photographed in the Philippines

Marine life specimens

Granulated seastar (Choriaster granulatus) amongst corals on a reef. This starfish is found on coral reefs and sandy bottoms throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region

Red seastar (Fromia milleporella) amongst corals on a reef. Photographed off Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Common starfish feeding
Common starfish (Asterias rubens) feeding. The common starfish preys on other echinoderms, worms and molluscs. It is widespread in the north-east Atlantic and is common around Britain and Ireland

Star fish (Henricia sp.). Photographed in the White Sea, Russia

Sea urchin

Brittlestars on gorgonian coral
Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp. yellow) on gorgonian coral (red). Photographed at Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Long-spined sea urchin, (Diadema setosum) on a reef. Sea urchins feed mainly on algae, but will also eat invertebrates such as mussels, sponges and brittle stars. Photographed in Indonesia

Traumatocrinus hsui giant pelagic Crinoid
Traumatocrinus hsui, Xiaowa formation, Guizhou, China. Calyx and arms about 20 cm. stem could reach over a meter. Late triassic/early jurassic

Echinoderm anatomy, artwork
Echinoderm anatomy. Computer artwork showing the body structure and main organs of a typical echinoderm, such as a starfish

Ink-spot sea squirts and featherstar
Ink-spot sea squirts (Polycarpa aurata, purple and yellow) and featherstar on a reef. Sea squirts, or tunicates, are sessile barrel-shaped animals that feed by filtering plankton from the water

Sea urchins montage. Composite image of a number of sea urchins

Ornate ghost pipefish and featherstars
Ornate ghost pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus, centre) and featherstars. These fish grow up to 12 centimetres in length. They are found alone or in pairs in bays

Featherstar montage. Composite image of a featherstar, or crionoid, showing its branching structure. Featherstars, feed by filtering food particles from the water using their feathery arms

Necklace starfish (Fromia monilis) and sponges on a coral reef. Photographed off Rinca Island, Indonesia

Luzon starfish (Echinaster luzonicus) on a coral reef. Starfish, also known as sea stars, are a type of marine invertebrate known as echinoderms

Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) crawling over a sandy area between reefs. This starfish grows up to 40 centimetres in diameter and has 12-19 arms

Pin-cushion starfish (Culcita novaeguinea). Starfish, also known as sea stars, are a type of marine invertebrate known as an echinoderm

Cushion star starfish
Cushion star (Choriaster granulatus). This starfish is found on coral reefs and sandy bottoms throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region, from east Africa to the western Pacific Ocean

Crinoid and gorgonian anemones. Gorgonian wrappers (Nemanthus annamensis) are small anemones with white tentacles (lower frame) that can be seen wrapped around a large crinoid (centre)

Blue starfish (Linckia laevigata) on corals. This starfish is found in the Indo-Pacific region. Photographed off Komodo, Indonesia

Asteroidea organisms, artwork
Asteroidea organisms. Historical artwork showing various organisms in the class Asteroidea (starfish). This is the 40th plate from Ernst Haeckels Art Forms in Nature (1899)

Ornate ghost pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus, centre) camouflaged against a crinoid. These fish grow up to 12 centimetres in length

Brittlestars on a sea fan
Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp. white rings) wrapped around the branches of a gorgonian sea fan (pink). Photographed in the Andaman Sea, Thailand

Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus, centre) by a gorgonian sea fan (left) on a coral reef. This species of damselfish inhabits reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific region

Crinoid, or featherstar, floating in the ocean. Crinoids are primitive echinoderms relatives of starfish and sea urchins. Photographed off Papua New Guinea

Lyretail anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), also known as sea goldies, with a gorgonian coral fan (pink) and featherstars (black). Photographed off Bali, Indonesia

Spiny sunstar on a rock. The spiny sunstar (Crossaster papposus) is type of starfish with relatively short arms. It can grow to around 30 centimetres in diameter

Brittle star in a crevice. Daisy brittle star (Ophiopholis aculeata) half-hidden in a crevice. The daisy brittle star lives on rocky sea floors from north-eastern Canada as far south as

Green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) on rocks. Sea urchins feed mainly on algae, but will also eat invertebrates such as mussels, sponges and brittle stars

Brittle star eating coral. Northern basket star (Gorgonocephalus arcticus, centre, yellow) wrapped around a soft coral (Gersemia fruticosa, white)

Featherstar on gorgonian coral. The featherstar is a marine invertebrate. It is an ancient and primitive echinoderm, a member of the group of invertebrates that includes the starfish

Green sea urchin spines. Close-up of the spines on a green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis). Sea urchins feed mainly on algae, but will also eat invertebrates such as mussels

Northern basket star (Gorgonocephalus arcticus) on the seabed. The northern basket star is a species of brittle star. Brittle stars are related to starfish but, unlike starfish

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"Echinoderms: Fascinating Creatures of the Sea" Diving into the depths of the ocean, we encounter an extraordinary world filled with diverse marine life. Amongst them, echinoderms stand out as captivating creatures that never fail to amaze us. In Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, a Male Leach's sea star steals the spotlight as it engages in broadcast spawning. With arms extended gracefully, it releases streams of sperm into the water, contributing to new life beneath the waves. This mesmerizing sight earned its well-deserved recognition as Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 - Underwater category winner. But let us not forget their ancient relatives who once roamed our oceans. Extinct marine reptiles ruled during a time long past, leaving behind remnants like crinoid fossils known as "Sea Lilies. " Discovered in Northern Germany from the Triassic period over 240 million years ago, these delicate fossils offer glimpses into Earth's prehistoric wonders. Moving forward to present-day marvels, we encounter sea cucumbers and starfish gracing sandy beaches worldwide. Their unique shapes and vibrant colors add charm to coastal landscapes while reminding us of nature's artistic touch. Delving deeper into history reveals St. Cuthberts Beads—a rosary crafted from crinoid columnals—an exquisite testament to human creativity intertwined with echinoderm beauty. Further exploration uncovers Pentrimites robustus and Tylocidaris clavigera—blastoids and sea urchins respectively—each showcasing intricate patterns etched by evolution itself. Venturing along rocky shores brings encounters with double spined urchins' anal sacks—a peculiar yet essential part of their anatomy that aids in maintaining balance within their watery habitat. As we journey across continents, common starfish grace Oxwich Bay in Gower South Wales UK while ochre & purple sea stars adorn Strawberry Hill State Park on the Oregon coast, Pacific Ocean, USA.