Northern feather star

The northern feather star (Leptometra celtica) is a graceful and curious echinoderm (from the Greek for spiny skinned) and is part of the class of crinoids (meaning "like a lily"). They have 10 long, slender arms that can be a variety of beautiful colours including yellow, white, pink-red or banded red and white. Their arms grow to 15cm long and are arranged around a central disc. Beneath this disc they have cirri that look like thin, stiff legs with hooks on the end that they use to hold themselves in place.

The northern feather star puts on a fascinating display when it exhibits its ability to 'swim' short distances through the water, which it does by flicking its arms up and down (watch a video here).

The northern feather star is a filter feeder and positions itself where currents will pass over it. They hold their arms in the current and the pinnules (feathery looking branches on their arms) capture organic matter, a complex mixture of molecules suspended in the water, which is transported down the length of the arms to the mouth in the centre. The northern feather star is able to spread out its arms into a vertical fan across the current.

What is so special about them?

The northern feather star is normally a deep water species but western Scotland is unique in having shallow water examples in depths of around 20m in sea lochs and sheltered conditions. They can also form very dense aggregations in these environments and can be a significant component of the seabed community.

Where do they occur?

Northern feather stars are normally found in depths from 40 to over 1000 m depth, but are found in shallower waters in western Scotland. They are often found on shell-gravel, cobbles and different mixtures of sand, gravel, shingle and mud, as well as being associated with cold water coral reefs.

The species is abundant around the Minch, Skye and off the north coast of Scotland. There are only a few inshore British records outside Scotland. It has been found in deep water to the south and west of Ireland and the entrance to the English Channel.

What is the status of this species in Scotland?

Whilst there is not any information on the status of this species, a similar species the rosy feather star (Antedon bifida) is vulnerable to physical disturbance and removal by mobile fishing gear, changes in hydrology and habitat loss which may be caused by coastal or marine developments, substrate extraction for the aggregate industry, pollution and spoil dumping.

Are we doing anything to look after the northern feather star in Scotland?

This species is an SNH Priority Marine Feature  and will be subject to new protection efforts deriving from the Scottish Marine Bill (including Marine Spatial Planning and new Marine Protected Areas).