March 11, 2021: Sea Star Feeding
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Gulf of Mexico 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 1.2 MB).
Pythonaster is an unusual and rarely seen sea star in the family Myxasteridae, with long arms and a translucent body surface, layered with a thick membrane and having spines in ordered rows that are each covered by a thick skin. It was first collected and described in 1889, and prior to the Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition in 2013, Pythonaster had never been seen alive.
During the Gulf of Mexico 2018 expedition, we caught another glimpse of these sea star, this time feeding on a glass sponge. This was the first time feeding this behavior had ever been observed, providing important insights into the biology of this sea star.
From: Abyssal Stars from the Gulf of Mexico: A Bounty of Surprises!.