Amphimetra tessellata
©Anne Hoggett: Amphimetra tessellata at Watson's Bay, Lizard Island, on soft bottom away from reefs.
©Anne Hoggett: Amphimetra tessellata at Watson's Bay, Lizard Island, on soft bottom away from reefs. Note relatively long cirri with strong spines on distal segments. There is a galatheid crab sheltering among the cirri and a brittlestar (Ophiothrix (Acanthophiothrix) proteus) clinging to the arm bases.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Crinoidea
Order
Comatulida
Family
Himerometridae
Genus
Amphimetra
Species
Amphimetra tessellata
Colours
Distinguishing features
A large crinoid with 10 arms (rarely a few more) up to 300 mm long with a good ring of long (to 50 mm), stiff cirri. Arms are usually dark lavender to purple with a small amount of white or yellow.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
This species occupies a distinctive habitat: sandy bottom covered with Halimeda, bryozoans and seagrass. Individuals are often perched on a slightly elevated piece of hard substrate.
Found more than 100 metres away from the base of the reef in particular areas. Specific sites are off the northeast side of North Point in about 21 metres and in Watson's Bay deeper than about 15 metres
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.
Other references
- Messing, C.G., D.L. Meyer, U.E. Siebeck, L.S. Jermiin, D.I. Vaney and G.W. Rouse (2006). A modern soft-bottom, shallow-water crinoid fauna (Echinodermata) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Coral Reefs, 25: 164-168. LIRS catalog number 956.