Sea lilies: what are, characteristics, habitat and examples

Sea lilies or sea lilies, also known as Crinoidthey are marine animals belonging to the group of echinodermosrelated to sea stars and sea urchins. Despite its name and appearance similar to a flower, they are not plants.

Historically, these organisms have survived major changes. It is believed that a single crinoid group managed to survive the extinction of the end of the Permian, becoming the ancestor of all current species. The oldest fossils of their descendants, the Holocrinidae, have been found in rocks of the lower Triassic.

During the Cretaceous periodsea lilios with peduncle moved from the shallow waters to The marine depthswhere they currently live.

• The sea lilies are Marine animals They have a central body called chalicefrom which they arise Featheous and branched arms.
• Although they usually remain fixed to the seabed, They can move If they need to escape a predator.
• To move, break a small part of their stem and release to get away.
• Despite their resemblance to flowers, they are not plants, but animals related to sea stars.
• It is believed that they appeared in the ordovico period, approximately 490 million years ago.
• There are currently around 700 living speciessome with stem and others without it.
• The arms of sea lilies can measure between 1 and 35 cm, while their stem reaches approximately 1 meter.
• They use their arms and pines to capture plankton and other food particles.
• They are dioic, which means they have separate sexes.
• Its metabolic rate is low compared to other marine animals.

Sea lilies inhabit mainly in the Ocean depthsbeing more common in the Western Pacific Ocean and on both sides of the Atlantic. Although millions of years ago they were extremely abundant, today they are mostly in deep water, set in marine plains at the depths of 200 meters or more. These creatures prefer hard surfaces, such as Rocks, corals and other solid structures of the seabed, where they can be recorded safely.

In certain regions, large concentrations of lilies of sea form dense “forests” submarines, creating a unique and vibrant ecosystem that serves as refuge and food for other marine species. In addition, some species have the ability to temporarily detach themselves from their anchor point and move with graceful movements of their arms, allowing them to explore new areas or escape threats.

Sea lilies feed mainly of plankton and organic particles suspended in the water. They use their long feathery arms to capture these tiny particles through a method known as passive suspension feed. The mucus that covers his arms helps to catch the plankton and debris, while their tubular feet skillfully direct them towards the mouth, located at the top of their body.

Unlike other animals, sea lilies do not have a true stomach. Once the food is taken to the mouth, it passes directly to the esophagus, then to the intestine and finally to the rectum, where the waste is expelled through the anus, which is curiously on the same surface as the mouth.

These animals are Filtrating experts and can adjust the angle and separation of their arms to optimize their diet. In addition, although their diet is mainly based on filtration, they can also act as opportunistic predators and scavengers when circumstances allow it.

In this other post we explain what plankton is and its importance.

Sea lilies are dioic animals, which means that there are clear differences between females and males. During reproduction, The gametes are released in the water surrounding, where the external fertilization. This union gives rise to eggs that hatch in floating larvae, which do not feed and depend on sea currents to move.

After a time floating, The larvae They find an adequate substrate in the marine background where they settle. There, they suffer one metamorphosis that transforms them into sessile individuals, anchored to the substrate, and begin their adult life dedicated to filtration food and reproduction.

A notable characteristic of sea lilies is their ability to regeneration. They can regenerate lost arms and even rebuild their crown if necessary. This mechanism not only allows them to recover from physical damage, but also maintain their reproductive capacity and ensure the survival of their species over time.

• CELICIC LEPTOME: Inhabits the Atlantic Ocean. It has 10 arms of 7 – 10 cm long with well sustained side branches.
• PTILOMETRA Australis: Its origin is on the southeast coasts in Australia. It has 18 – 20 arms bordered by pine.
• Stephanometra indicates: It is commonly found in the Indo – Pacifico. His arms are in two parallel planes, similar to a fan.
• Tropiometra Carinata: They have 10 arms that measure up to 18 cm long.
• Metacrinus rotundus: Inhabits the west coast in Japan. Its appearance is similar to a duster, it has a central mouth that surrounded by a crown of arms with many branches to feed.

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