Himerometra robustipinna

Himerometra robustipinna
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Crinoidea
Subclass:	Articulata
Order:	Comatulida
Family:	Himerometridae
Genus:	Himerometra
Species:	H. robustipinna
Binomial name
Himerometra robustipinna (Carpenter, 1881)
Synonyms
Actinometra robustipinna Carpenter, 1881 Antedon crassipinna Hartlaub, 1890 Antedon inopinata Bell, 1894 Antedon kraepelini Hartlaub, 1890 Himerometra kraepelini AH Clark, 1907 Himerometra magnipinna AH Clark, 1908 Himerometra pulcher AH Clark, 1912

Himerometra robustipinna is a species of crinoid belonging to the family Himerometridaem first described as Actinometra robustipinna by Philip Herbert Carpenter in 1881.

Description

Himerometra robustipinna can reach a diameter of about 35 to 40 cm (14 to 16 in). It has a cup-shaped body with 33-62 arms (usually ~45) about 20 cm (8 in) long, extended out from the central disc. Mouth and anus are both on the upper side of the body. Usually this species has reddish or maroon arms, but it may have yellow or pale brown brachials with maroon pinnules. It feeds on detritus, phytoplankton and zooplankton caught by means of a sticky substance on the arms. It can cling onto corals with short appendages called cirri, but it also can freely swim. The larvae of this feather star swim freely with plankton for a few weeks, then they settle down growing into a stalked form. Mature specimen break the stalk becoming free-living.

Distribution

This species is widespread in the western Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, from Bay of Bengal up to China Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Indonesia, Philippines, South Japan.

Habitat

Himerometra robustipinna lives in the coastal waters with a coral reef ecosystem, relatively strong currents, clear water and plankton availability, at a depth of 0 – 57 m.

References

• David J. Lane and Didier Vandenspiegel. 2003. A Guide to Sea Stars and Other Echinoderms of the World. Singapore Science Centre
• Marine Species
• EoL