Neocrinus decorus

Neocrinus decorus is a species of stalked crinoid, or sea lily, in the family Balanocrinidae, being a member of the sole living genus of its subfamily.^[1]

Neocrinus decorus Temporal range: 23.03–Recent Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Specimens in situ
Museum specimen
Conservation status
NE
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Crinoidea
Order:	Isocrinida
Family:	Balanocrinidae
Subfamily:	Balanocrininae
Genus:	Neocrinus
Species:	N. decorus
Binomial name
Neocrinus decorus (Thomson, 1864)
Synonyms[1]
Chladocrinus decorus Thomson, 1864 Pentacrinus decorus Thomson, 1864

Distribution

The species lives on hard substrates (such as on lithoherm ridges) at depths of 420 to 1,219 metres (1,378 to 3,999 ft), throughout the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. It has been found off the coast of Venezuela, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and the Lesser Antilles.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Biology

Neocrinus decorus are epibenthic and may form aggregations in certain locales.^[1][2] Like other crinoids, they are suspension feeders, filtering out organic material and plankton that the current brings to their outstretched arms (the "filtration fan").^[6][7] This species has been observed to crawl across the sea floor using its arms, "elbow-crawling" at speeds of about 36 metres per hour (120 ft/h). This locomotion is theorized to allow the sea lily to move to a location with more appropriate currents, or to evade slower predators such as cidaroid sea urchins.^[8]