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Crinoid on a Primnoid Coral
This crinoid, seen during Dive 03 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition, was perched on the top of a primnoid coral with its arms spread like a spiderweb to catch food particles drifting past in the water column. Getting up off the seafloor not only provides the crinoid with better access to food but also likely provides additional protection from potential predators.