Biodiversity & Conservation

A crinoid - Leptometra celtica

Leptometra celtica

Image Sue Scott - Leptometra celtica, deep water crinoid. Image width ca 60 cm.
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Distribution map

Leptometra celtica recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

Why do the maps differ?

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Leptometra celtica is not listed under any importance categories.

Taxonomy icon Taxonomy Taxon English term
Phylum Echinodermata Starfish, brittlestars, sea urchins & sea cucumbers
Class Crinoidea Feather stars and sea lilies
Authority Barret & McAndrews, 1858
Recent synonyms None
Map icon Recorded Distribution in Britain and Ireland Recorded from the continental shelf to west and south west of Britain and the west Scottish sea lochs.
Habitat information icon Habitat information This species can be found on shell gravel from 40 to over 1000 m depth. It has also been recorded at 20 m in the Scottish sea lochs and sheltered conditions.
Text page icon Description Leptometra celtica has 10 slender pinnate arms up to 15 cm in length. Each arm (branchium) bears 2 rows of pinnules (appendages), with the first two pinnules being longer than the third. The centrodorsal plate (aboral plate) is conical or occasionally hemispherical and carries up to 45 long, slender, attachment cirri with the longest having 40-50 segments (joints). The cirral joints close to the centrodorsal are twice as long as they are broad, whereas those further away are as long as they are broad. This and the far dorsal edge being slightly swollen, gives the cirri a slightly scalloped appearance. The arms may be either brown, yellow, white or pinky-red in colouration or banded red and white. It's cirri are pure white.
Identifying features
  • 10 slender pinate arms up to 15 cm long.
  • Conical or hemispherical centrodorsal plate.
  • Up to 45 slender, white cirri with 40-50 segments.
  • Arms may be banded red and white or plain brown, yellow, white or pinky-red.
Additional information icon Additional information Leptometra celtica may be mistaken for Antedon bifida or Antedon petasus. Individuals have been observed to spread out their arms into a vertical fan across the current when in areas of moderate water flow. Antedon present at the same site was not observed to show this behaviour (Picton, 1993). Two annelid species of the genus Myzostoma have been associated with the arms and disc of this species (Southward & Campbell, 2006).

This review can be cited as follows:

Sonia Rowley 2007. Leptometra celtica. A crinoid. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 31/07/2010]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesinformation.php?speciesID=3653>