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| "20 arms, 1 amazing sea creature" |
What is Promachocrinus Fragarious?
Researchers have recently unveiled a fascinating discovery off the frigid coast of Antarctica—a newfound species boasting an astonishing 20 arms and a curious resemblance to a strawberry.
Detailed in a July publication in the journal Invertebrate Systematics, this intriguing creature has been bestowed with the name "promachocrinus fragarious," an appellation derived from the Latin term for strawberry—a tribute to its unique shape.
Promachocrinus fragarious, classified as an Antarctic feather star, exhibits the possibility of possessing either 20 or 10 arms. While specific dimensions weren't furnished in the report, which primarily depicted it as "large," it was elucidated that its colouration can span from shades of "purplish" to "dark reddish."
Thriving in the depths of the Antarctic oceans, these feather stars are found at varying elevations, encompassing a range from 65 to 6500 feet, as outlined by the report.
Over the span of expeditions conducted from 2008 to 2017, three scientists affiliated with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of California, San Diego embarked on a quest for what they dub as "cryptic biodiversity."
The report, co-authored by Emily L. McLaughlin, Nerida G. Wilson, and Greg W. Rouse, expounds upon the unique ecological conditions of the Southern Ocean as potential drivers of biodiversity. Their comprehensive efforts resulted in the identification of four novel species in the region, underscoring the significance of this remote corner of the world in the grand tapestry of life's diversity.
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