Verensterren

Verensterren, also known as feather stars, are a class of echinoderms belonging to the class Crinoidea. They are marine animals that have a body disk with multiple feathery arms radiating outwards. Unlike their stalked relatives, the sea lilies, most adult feather stars are free-swimming, though they can temporarily attach themselves to surfaces. They are found in all the world's oceans, from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea.

The body of a feather star is typically small and cup-shaped, from which the arms emerge. These arms are highly branched and covered in small, comb-like appendages called tube feet. These tube feet are used for filter-feeding, capturing small particles of food from the water column. Feather stars can have anywhere from five to over two hundred arms, depending on the species. Their coloration can vary widely, with individuals exhibiting shades of red, orange, yellow, purple, green, and brown, often providing camouflage against their surroundings.

Feather stars are sessile filter feeders for much of their lives, using their feathery arms to create currents that draw plankton and other organic matter towards their mouths, located on the underside of their body disk. They can swim using their arms, undulating them in a coordinated fashion to propel themselves through the water. Reproduction typically involves external fertilization, with both males and females releasing gametes into the water. The larvae are planktonic before settling to the seabed and metamorphosing into adult feather stars.