FEEDING MECHANISM OF THE BRISINGID STARFISH NOVODINIA-ANTILLENSIS

This paper describes the food and feeding mechanisms of the bathyal br isingid sea-star Novodinia antillensis (A. H. Clark, 1934). N. antille nsis is shown to be an opportunistic suspension feeder capable of capt uring living planktonic crustaceans of a wide range of sizes. The sea- star extends its 10 to 14 arms into water currents to form a feeding f an with a large surface area, and uses highly retentive pedicellaria o n the lateral arm spines to grasp and retain prey. The flexible arms f orm arm loops to complete the capture. The pedicellaria have a structu re very similar to that used by other species known to capture macrosc opic prey and, although they are an order of magnitude smaller, they p robably function in a similar manner.