Aporometra wilsoni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aporometra wilsoni |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Articulata
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| Family: |
Aporometridae
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| Genus: |
Aporometra
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| Species: |
A. wilsoni
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| Binomial name | |
| Aporometra wilsoni (Bell, 1888)
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Aporometra wilsoni is a fascinating sea animal. It is a type of crinoid or feather star. These animals are invertebrates, meaning they do not have a backbone. This species lives in the shallow waters around southern Australia. It belongs to the family Aporometridae.
What it Looks Like
`Aporometra wilsoni` is a small crinoid. Its arms can grow up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long. It has five main arms, but each of these splits near its base. This gives the animal a total of ten arms.
These arms have many small, feather-like branches called pinnules. The pinnules fan out on both sides of the arms. This makes the crinoid look like a feathery plant.
This species also has up to 25 special parts called cirri. These cirri are like small, gripping legs. They have flattened undersides and can sometimes be longer than the arms. In `A. wilsoni`, the parts that produce eggs or sperm, called gonads, are found on the pinnules. The tiny baby crinoids, called larvae, also grow in special chambers on these pinnules.
Where it Lives
This crinoid is originally from the southern coasts of Australia. You can find it from Elizabeth Reef near Perth, Western Australia, all the way to Gabo Island in Victoria. It lives in waters that are not very deep, usually down to about 18 m (60 ft).
Life Cycle and Reproduction
`Aporometra wilsoni` often lives near brown seaweeds. These include types like Cystophora and Sargassum.
Crinoids are dioecious. This means there are separate male and female animals. They do not have typical reproductive organs. Instead, they produce reproductive cells (sperm or eggs) from special canals inside some of their pinnules.
In most crinoid species, the sperm and eggs are released into the surrounding water. But `A. wilsoni` is different. It keeps its developing young, called embryos, inside small spaces on its pinnules. It broods the larvae as they grow.
The larvae are not released until they have changed quite a bit. They are called doliolaria larvae at one stage. These larvae lose their tiny hair-like structures called cilia. Then, they go through a big change called metamorphosis. After this, they develop a stalk and a special part called a holdfast.
Once they are ready, these young crinoids fall to the seabed. They immediately attach themselves to the surface, which is called the substrate. Their mouth, located in the center of their top surface, opens. Their first tube feet appear, and they start to feed. Later, the stem breaks off, and the young crinoid becomes free-living, just like its parents.
