Ballet of the Giant Sea Spiders

[nanoteuthis]

A link on the Red Jellyfish conservation site led me to this recently posted CNN video:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2008/02/19/vo.aus.sea.spider.ap

These enchanting and graceful inverts were filmed off the eastern coast of Antarctica. Note that before viewing their exquisite little ballet, you will have to sit through some useless commercial -- a different one every time you access the site -- but trust me, it's worth it!

~ TANI ~

 

[DWhatley]

Tani,
I think the typical lazy news reporting is a little lacking in that film. Those look a lot more like feather stars than sea spiders so I went looking and found a much more informative film on the expedition from National G but it still does not say what those lovely creatures are (it does show the giant sea spider close up and it is NOT what is in the CNN film)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080219-spider-video-ap.html

"D"

 

[Animal Mother]

Tani,
I think the typical lazy news reporting is a little lacking in that film. Those look a lot more like feather stars than sea spiders so I went looking and found a much more informative film on the expedition from National G but it still does not say what those lovely creatures are (it does show the giant sea spider close up and it is NOT what is in the CNN film)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080219-spider-video-ap.html

"D"

Yup.

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Feather Star = Crinoid ?

 

[Jean]

Feather Star = Crinoid ?

yup

 

[DWhatley]

Feather Star = Crinoid ?

Yes, but mine don't "dance" or jet around like those beautiful creatures. They do seek out the high flow areas in the tank but tend to stay in one place for a month or so then move during the night, usually only about 6-8 inches, to a new location.

 

[Octavarium]

Awesome....a few weeks ago Ron O'Dor told me he had to fly down to Antarctica...now I know why!

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Yes, but mine don't "dance" or jet around like those beautiful creatures. They do seek out the high flow areas in the tank but tend to stay in one place for a month or so then move during the night, usually only about 6-8 inches, to a new location.

Mine dont move either, they just sit in their rock acting like they were petrified... wait, I guess they are petrified!

 

[Jean]

Ours would never swim either but we moved them to a bigger tank and off they went! very cool!

J

 

[DWhatley]

Architeuthoceras - - good call!

Jean, how BIG (from and to)? Mine stay in the highest flow area but I have never seen them "swim", just move around like regular star fish. My tank is small by your standards but is 3' tall and 140 gallons so I wonder if they need something I am missing. I am delighted at their longevity (First one - over a year ago - was an oops, I didn't realize this was "special" when I bought it. The second , an Aussie, - over 8 months - was a rescued "baby crown of thorns" misidentified by the naive purchaser - ate two of his corals - and believed by my not so bright LFS. The recent third was already "shedding" and didn't make it).