15 interesting facts about sea lilies

Amazing creatures, crinoids look like plants, although in fact they belong to the animal world. Their unusual appearance always attracts the attention of divers, and it is not surprising – they really look like something alien. In fact, crinoids appeared on Earth long before many dinosaur species, and they are much, much older than mankind.

Interesting facts about crinoids

1. 300-500 million years ago, there were more than 5 thousand species of crinoids in the world, but only about 700 of them have survived to this day. Moreover, over all the past eras, they have not changed much.
2. Most of the species of sea lilies can move and float to the surface if they wish, but some of them lead a completely immobile lifestyle.
3. They are rarely found in shallow water, preferring a depth of at least a dozen or two meters. And some crinoids even live at depths of up to 9.7 kilometers, while maintaining the monstrous pressure of the water column.
4. From the point of view of zoology, their close relatives are sea urchins and stars (interesting facts about starfish).
5. Like sea stars, the body of sea lilies is subject to 5-ray symmetry. In particular, they always have 5 arms, which, however, can be separated.
6. The fossilized sea lilies are among the ten most commonly discovered fossil animals.
7. In the tropical zone of the Pacific Ocean, sometimes crinoids of 40-50 different species live on a single reef.
8. Another name for these animals is crinoids.
9. All without exceptions, their species feed by passing sea water through themselves and filtering useful substances from it. Oysters eat about the same (interesting facts about oysters).
10. Only 5 species of crinoids are found in Russian territorial waters.
11. The mouth is located in the upper part of their bodies. Their stalked hands, covered with sticky claws, direct the nutrient particles floating in the water straight there.
12. In ancient times, there were sea lilies, the stalks of which grew up to 15-20 meters in length.
13. Despite for seeming tenderness, the outside of the body of these creatures is covered with an external skeleton.
14. Some predatory mollusks willingly eat sea lilies, gnawing through the outer protection and getting to their soft flesh (interesting facts about mollusks).
15. A number of species of sea lilies are able to walk on the seabed on their small legs.