What is This Unearthly Creature? Is it a Starfish?

[DaveC426913]

This thing looks unearthly.

http://digg.com/video/no-seriously-what-is-this



But I think it's actually a starfish.

(I hope they put it back in water.)

 

[BillTre]

Seems to be a basket star (not a basketball star!).

But I think it's actually a starfish.

Yes, relative of starfish.
I was surprised at how big it is.
It seems to be a filter feeder, using its basket-like arms to catch little things out of currents.

There are lots of weird and fun critters.
Opabinia (an early fossil arthropod):

Hallucagenia (an early fossil velvet worm):

Amphipod (related to pillbugs) parasite that eats a fish's tongue and replaces it. It then eats some of the food the fish eats:

 

[DaveC426913]

: | My sister M Collins did the original 3D interpretational drawings from scientists' descriptions, from which most other diagrams on the internet were shamelessly copied.

 

[BillTre]

Very cool @DaveC426913 !
Its interesting that they had the original versions of Hallucagenia upside down (walking on what are now considered defensive spines).
I'm sure it was the scientist's fault and not your sister's.
Gould's book (Wonderful Life) was written before this was figured out, so he probably discusses it in a lot of detail.

 

[DaveC426913]

Very cool @DaveC426913 !
Its interesting that they had the original versions of Hallucagenia upside down (walking on what are now considered defensive spines).
I'm sure it was the scientist's fault and not your sister's.

I remember discussing that very thing over the dinner table. The scientists couldn't make up their minds. They wondered if maybe the wavey bits were eating/breathing tubules, but that would necessitate walking on the spikey bits, like an urchin.
Good times, good times.

Gould's book (Wonderful Life) was written before this was figured out, so he probably discusses it in a lot of detail.

She illustrated that too.