November 30, 2021: Sea Star
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Download larger version (jpg, 1.5 MB).
During one of the deep dives of the Océano Profoundo 2018: Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands expedition, remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer came upon this very spiny, swollen six-rayed white sea star. It is most likely in the family Pedicellasteridae, a deep-sea group that is considered an early member of the group including the common sea stars you see on the beach (e.g., Asterias or Pisaster), but a more specific identity for this sea star remains a mystery.
From: New and Rare Stars In the Abyss of Puerto Rico.