tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9067507179347221008.post9006951901565513093..comments2008-04-23T16:26:49.099-10:00BNShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10709074385552082635noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9067507179347221008.post-56412632043348738332008-04-23T16:26:49.099-10:002008-04-23T16:26:49.099-10:00Thanks, Kathy. Don't worry -- these critters are anything but fierce. Those hooks on the cirri are very tiny. They're not defensive weapons. They just help the crinoids to hang on for dear life to whatever they perch upon.<BR/><BR/>BobbieBNShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10709074385552082635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9067507179347221008.post-70702603020132855342008-04-23T13:56:19.497-10:002008-04-23T13:56:19.497-10:00I had never heard of these before - your photos are great - they look so graceful - but seem a bit intimidating with their little hooks!kmlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782946391673845914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9067507179347221008.post-73625968103454753242008-04-22T19:25:29.495-10:002008-04-22T19:25:29.495-10:00Laura, I hope you get to see some nice crinoids one of these days. Try the Red Sea, or areas around Indonesia and the Western Pacific. They have scads and scads there.<BR/><BR/>And yeah, they do seem halfway between brittle stars and basket stars in appearance. Great observation.<BR/><BR/>BobbieBNShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10709074385552082635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9067507179347221008.post-14471000829734732792008-04-22T07:19:10.285-10:002008-04-22T07:19:10.285-10:00Wow--fantastic post and photos! I am in love with all echinoderms, but it's always difficult to find out more about them. I knew crinoids exist, but I've never seen one and hardly knew anything about them. The stuff about their feet, especially, is so cool! They seem like they're kind of halfway in between brittle stars and basket stars...Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15190215500813665144noreply@blogger.com