Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help
Researched by | Jacqueline Hill | Refereed by | This information is not refereed |
Authority | (Pennant, 1777) | ||
Other common names | - | Synonyms | - |
A feather star with five pairs of feathery arms, 5-10 cm in length. The species is secured to the substratum by movable, claw-like cirri, up to about 25, on the undersurface of the disc. The animal is thus able to crawl, often quite swiftly. The colour of Antedon bifida is varied, red, pink, orange or yellow, often mottled or banded.
Antedon bifida may be confused with another feather-star species Antedon petasus which has a more northerly distribution around the British Isles. Antedon petasus is larger and has 50 or so short cirri on the undersurface of the disc.
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Phylum | Echinodermata | Starfish, brittlestars, sea urchins & sea cucumbers |
Class | Crinoidea | Feather stars and sea lilies |
Order | Comatulida | |
Family | Antedonidae | |
Genus | Antedon | |
Authority | (Pennant, 1777) | |
Recent Synonyms |
Typical abundance | High density | ||
Male size range | diameter 10-20cm | ||
Male size at maturity | |||
Female size range | Medium(11-20 cm) | ||
Female size at maturity | |||
Growth form | Pinnate | ||
Growth rate | Data deficient | ||
Body flexibility | High (greater than 45 degrees) | ||
Mobility | |||
Characteristic feeding method | Passive suspension feeder | ||
Diet/food source | |||
Typically feeds on | particulate matter such as detritus and plankton. | ||
Sociability | |||
Environmental position | Epibenthic | ||
Dependency | Independent. | ||
Supports | Host Myzostoma, a parasitic hermaphrodite polychaete. | ||
Is the species harmful? | No |
Mobility
Feather-stars are also able to swim short distances by moving the arms up and down through the water.
Physiographic preferences | Open coast, Offshore seabed, Strait / sound, Enclosed coast / Embayment |
Biological zone preferences | Circalittoral offshore, Lower circalittoral, Lower infralittoral, Sublittoral fringe, Upper circalittoral, Upper infralittoral |
Substratum / habitat preferences | Macroalgae, Bedrock, Large to very large boulders |
Tidal strength preferences | Moderately Strong 1 to 3 knots (0.5-1.5 m/sec.) |
Wave exposure preferences | Moderately exposed, Sheltered, Very sheltered |
Salinity preferences | Full (30-40 psu) |
Depth range | from ELWS to -450m. |
Other preferences | No text entered |
Migration Pattern |
Reproductive type | Gonochoristic (dioecious) | |
Reproductive frequency | Annual episodic | |
Fecundity (number of eggs) | No information | |
Generation time | ||
Age at maturity | 1-2 years. | |
Season | See additional text | |
Life span | Insufficient information |
Larval/propagule type | - |
Larval/juvenile development | Planktotrophic |
Duration of larval stage | 2-10 days |
Larval dispersal potential | No information |
Larval settlement period | Insufficient information |
The MarLIN sensitivity assessment approach used below has been superseded by the MarESA (Marine Evidence-based Sensitivity Assessment) approach (see menu). The MarLIN approach was used for assessments from 1999-2010. The MarESA approach reflects the recent conservation imperatives and terminology and is used for sensitivity assessments from 2014 onwards.
Intolerance | Recoverability | Sensitivity | Evidence/Confidence | |
High | High | Moderate | Moderate | |
Although Antedon bifida is free living and can swim and crawl short distances the species will be lost along with substratum removal so intolerance is assessed as high. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
Smothering by 5 cm of sediment is likely to result in the death of feather-stars. Although the tops of arms can probably extend above the sediment most of the feeding and respiratory structures will become clogged. Animals are also unlikely to be able to move above the sediment as they require a hard substratum for attachment. Intolerance is therefore reported to be high. If sediment were then removed recolonization could take place and recovery should be possible within five years - see additional information. | ||||
Low | Immediate | Not sensitive | Moderate | |
Antedon bifida is often found in turbid areas where strong water currents deliver particles for suspension feeding. Therefore, the species can probably tolerate an increase in suspended sediment at the benchmark level although cleaning costs may increase. Intolerance is recorded as low. On return to normal conditions recovery will be immediate. | ||||
Low | Very high | Very Low | Moderate | |
A supply of suspended particles is required for feeding as Antedon bifida is a suspension feeder so a decrease may reduce food supplies. Therefore, a decrease in suspended sediment may impair growth rates. However, the benchmark reduction is for a month only so the impact will be minimal and intolerance is assessed as low. On return to normal suspended particle levels growth will soon return to normal. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
The species is subtidal, only occurring very rarely at extreme low water springs, so is likely to be intolerant of desiccation. Therefore, an intolerance of high is reported. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Moderate | |
The species is subtidal, although some populations are found at very low water springs, so an increase in emergence is likely to result in desiccation to which the species is highly intolerant. Therefore, an intolerance of high is reported. For recovery see additional information. | ||||
Tolerant | High | Not sensitive | Moderate | |
The species is subtidal and so is tolerant to a decrease in emergence. However, there are some individuals found at very low water springs so a decrease in emergence will enable them to move up the shore. However, the overall intolerance of the species is reported to be tolerant. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Moderate | |
The species occurs in areas where there is fast current flow suitable for passive suspension feeding. In a series of unpublished experiments by Mr M. Hannan (cited in Hiscock, 1983) Antedon bifida was able to maintain its grip on a concrete substratum in currents up to 90cm/s in a flume. Thus, the claw-like cirri enable the species to survive in moderately strong currents and dense populations are found in areas where water flow is likely to be between 1 and 3 knots during maximal tidal flow. However, if water currents increased to very strong (>6 knots) from moderately strong for a period of a year it is likely that populations would not survive. La Touche (1978) observed that Antedon bifida was unable to maintain its arms in a vertical feeding position in all but the weakest of currents. However, the extremely flexible and opportunistic nature of the species arms and pinnules to adapt in other ways and in several types of water movement. Although dense beds of feather-stars are likely to buffer water currents to some degree feeding is likely to be difficult and many individuals are likely to be washed away. Intolerance is therefore recorded as high. For recovery see additional information. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Moderate | |
The species occurs in areas where there is fast current flow suitable for passive suspension feeding so a decrease in water flow is likely to reduce food supplies. Thus, growth and fecundity will be impaired and over the period of the year individuals are likely to die or move away to higher flow areas. Thus, intolerance of the species is considered to be high. For recovery see additional information. | ||||
Intermediate | High | Low | Very low | |
The species is distributed from Scotland to Portugal so is probably able to tolerate a long term increase in temperature of 2°C. However, as a subtidal species Antedon bifida is less likely to be able to tolerate a short term increase in temperature of 5°C. Intolerance is set to intermediate. For recovery see additional information. | ||||
No information | No information | No information | Not relevant | |
Insufficient information. | ||||
Low | Very high | Very Low | Moderate | |
Antedon bifida is not sensitive directly to increases in turbidity because light attenuation does not impact upon suspension feeding. However, an increase in turbidity, reducing light availability may reduce primary production by phytoplankton in the water column and thus influence food availability. However, particulate food supplies are also likely to be derived from distant sources so the impact of a change for a period of a year is not likely to be significant, maybe a reduction in growth and fecundity, and an intolerance of low is reported. Recovery is likely to be very high as photosynthetic levels and local phytoplankton production will rapidly return to normal. | ||||
Tolerant* | Very high | Not sensitive* | Moderate | |
Antedon bifida is not sensitive directly to decreases in turbidity because light attenuation does not impact upon suspension feeding. However, a decrease in turbidity, improving light availability may improve primary production by phytoplankton in the water column and thus increase food availability. Food supplies are also likely to be derived from distant sources so the impact of a change for a period of a year is not likely to be significant, maybe a slight increase in growth and fecundity, and so an intolerance of low is reported. Recovery is likely to be very high as photosynthetic levels and local phytoplankton production will rapidly return to normal. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
Antedon bifida is not found in areas subject to wave exposure and so is likely to be intolerant. If subjected to wave exposure, the species will probably be unable to feed and may be damaged by wave action. Populations are unlikely to survive such a increase for a period of a year so intolerance is reported to be high. On return to normal conditions recovery should be possible within five years - see additional information. | ||||
Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | Low | |
Antedon bifida is found in areas of extremely low wave exposure such as Scottish sea lochs so is likely to tolerate a decrease. | ||||
Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | Not relevant | |
Antedon bifida may respond to vibrations by curling up their arms, maybe to avoid predation for example. However, the species is unlikely to sensitive to noise and so the biotope is assessed as tolerant. | ||||
Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | Not relevant | |
Some response to visual disturbance has been detected in echinoderms. There is some evidence that the basiepithelial nerve plexus below the entire outer skins is sensitive to light (D. Nichols pers. comm.). However, movement of boats etc. in the marine environment is not likely to affect the species so a rank of not sensitive is reported. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
Antedon bifida is likely to be intolerant of abrasion as individuals would probably be killed or damaged by a force equivalent to a scallop dredge dragged across them. The species can regenerate body parts even when most arms and part of the disc have been lost so most damaged individuals are likely to recover. For recovery see additional information below. | ||||
Low | Immediate | Not sensitive | Moderate | |
If moved to another suitable substratum Antedon bifida is able to attach itself by means of the cirri which grasp the substratum. Therefore, intolerance to displacement is low. If inverted the species is able to right itself very rapidly so recovery is recorded as immediate. |
Intolerance | Recoverability | Sensitivity | Evidence/Confidence | |
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
Prolonged exposure to low concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) have been shown to result in growth and regenerative abnormalities in the feather-star Antedon mediterranea (Carnevali et al., 2001). Therefore, it seems likely that the congeneric Antedon bifida would also be intolerant of PCBs. However, no reports of the death of individuals was found. Hoare & Hiscock (1974) reported that Antedon bifida appeared to be completely intolerant of conditions within the vicinity of an acidified, halogenated effluent discharge. Intolerance is therefore reported to be high. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
Intermediate | High | Low | Very low | |
Information about the effects of heavy metals on echinoderms is limited and no details specific to Antedon bifida were found. However, Bryan (1984) reports that early work has shown that echinoderm larvae are intolerant of heavy metals, e.g. the intolerance of larvae of Paracentrotus lividus to copper (Cu) had been used to develop a water quality assessment. Kinne (1984) reported developmental disturbances in Echinus esculentus exposed to waters containing 25 µg / l of copper (Cu). Therefore, it is likely that adult Antedon bifida is intolerant of heavy metal contamination and so intolerance is assessed as intermediate. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Low | |
Although there is no information available on the effect of hydrocarbons on Antedon bifida although echinoderms in general appear to be highly intolerant. For example, long term chronic pollution is thought to be responsible for reduced abundance of Asterias rubens (Bokn et al., 1993) and Echinocardium cordatum (Daan & Mulder, 1996). Crude oil from the Torrey Canyon in 1967 off Land's End of Cornwall, and the detergent used to disperse it caused mass mortalities of echinoderms; Asterias rubens, Echinocardium cordatum, Psammechinus miliaris, Echinus esculentus, Marthasterias glacialis and Acrocnida brachiata (Smith, 1968). Therefore, an intolerance of high is reported. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
No information | No information | No information | Not relevant | |
Insufficient information. | ||||
No information | No information | No information | Not relevant | |
Insufficient information. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | Very low | |
Echinoderms are considered to be stenohaline animals that lack the ability to osmo- and ion-regulate (Stickle & Diehl, 1987). The inability of echinoderms to osmoregulate extracellularly causes body fluid volume to decrease when individuals are transferred to higher external salinity. Over the period of a year, populations are unlikely to survive increased salinity. Echinoderm larvae have a narrow range of salinity tolerance and will develop abnormally and die if exposed to increased salinity. The species is therefore likely to be intolerant of an increase in salinity for a period of a year and an intolerance of high is reported. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
High | High | Moderate | ||
Echinoderms are considered to be stenohaline animals that lack the ability to osmo- and ion-regulate (Stickle & Diehl, 1987). The inability of echinoderms to osmoregulate extracellularly causes body fluid volume to increase when individuals are transferred to lower external salinity probably resulting in the death of animals. Echinoderm larvae have a narrow range of salinity tolerance and will develop abnormally and die if exposed to reduced salinity. The species is therefore likely to be intolerant of a decrease in salinity for a period of a year and an intolerance of high is reported. See additional information for recovery. | ||||
Intermediate | High | Low | Very low | |
Antedon bifida is an aerobic organism and oxygen uptake is by the tube feet and across the body wall. It is typically found in areas of fast tidal flow where water will be oxygenated. Although there is no evidence regarding the effect of low oxygen conditions on Antedon bifida, Cole et al. (1999) suggest possible adverse effects on marine species below 4 mg/l and probable adverse effects below 2 mg/l. Therefore, an intolerance of intermediate has been reported. |
Intolerance | Recoverability | Sensitivity | Evidence/Confidence | |
Low | High | Low | Low | |
Like most echinoderms Antedon bifida is host to symbiotic organisms. The annelid myzostome Myzostoma cirriferum is an obligate associate of echinoderms and live mainly with crinoids including Antedon bifida (Eeckhaut & Jangoux, 1997). Infestation levels seem to vary between sites (Leonard & Jeal, 1984). Although no diseases associated with these organisms have been reported echinoderms in other parts of the world have been severely affected by epidemic type diseases so there is the potential for this to occur. | ||||
Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | Moderate | |
No known non-native species compete with or prey upon Antedon bifida and so the species is assessed as not sensitive. However, as several species have become established in British waters there may be future introductions that compete or prey upon species in the biotope. | ||||
Intermediate | High | Low | Moderate | |
Extraction of Antedon bifida is unlikely because it has no commercial value and often occurs in areas where no other commercial species exist and where dredging would be difficult such as on rocky reefs. However, if 50% of the population were removed recovery should be high. See additional information. | ||||
Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | Not relevant | |
Antedon bifida has no known obligate relationships so is not sensitive to the removal of any other species. |
- no data -
National (GB) importance | - | Global red list (IUCN) category | - |
Native | - | ||
Origin | - | Date Arrived | - |
Bokn, T.L., Moy, F.E. & Murray, S.N., 1993. Long-term effects of the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of diesel oil on rocky shore populations maintained in experimental mesocosms. Botanica Marina, 36, 313-319.
Bryan, G.W., 1984. Pollution due to heavy metals and their compounds. In Marine Ecology: A Comprehensive, Integrated Treatise on Life in the Oceans and Coastal Waters, vol. 5. Ocean Management, part 3, (ed. O. Kinne), pp.1289-1431. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Carnevali, M.D.C., Galassi, S., Bonasoro, F., Patruno, M. & Thorndyke, M.C., 2001. Regenerative response and endocrine disrupters in crinoid echinoderms: arm regeneration in Antedon mediterranea after experimental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls. Journal of Experimental Biology, 204 (5), 835-842.
Daan, R. & Mulder, M., 1996. On the short-term and long-term impact of drilling activities in the Dutch sector of the North Sea ICES Journal of Marine Science, 53, 1036-1044.
Eeckhaut, I. & Jangoux, M., 1997. Infestation, population dynamics, growth and reproductive cycle of Myzostoma cirriferum (Myzostomida), an obligate symbiont of the comatulid crinoid Antedon bifida (Crinoidea, Echinodermata). Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 38, 7-18.
Fish, J.D. & Fish, S., 1996. A student's guide to the seashore. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. (ed.) 1995b. Handbook of the marine fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hiscock, K., 1983. Water movement. In Sublittoral ecology. The ecology of shallow sublittoral benthos (ed. R. Earll & D.G. Erwin), pp. 58-96. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Hoare, R. & Hiscock, K., 1974. An ecological survey of the rocky coast adjacent to the effluent of a bromine extraction plant. Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science, 2 (4), 329-348.
Kinne, O. (ed.), 1984. Marine Ecology: A Comprehensive, Integrated Treatise on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters.Vol. V. Ocean Management Part 3: Pollution and Protection of the Seas - Radioactive Materials, Heavy Metals and Oil. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
La Touche, R.W., 1978. The feeding behaviour and autecology of the shallow-water featherstar Antedon bifida (Pennant). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 58, 877-890.
Lahaye, M. & Jangoux, M., 1984. Post-spawning behaviour and early development of the comatulid crinoid, Antedon bifida. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Echinoderm Conference Galway, 24-29 September, 1984. Echinodermata (ed. B.F. Keegan et al.), pp.181-184. Rotterdam: Balkema.
Leonard, A. & Jeal, F., 1984. Hippolyte huntii (Gosse, 1877), a first record from the east coast of Ireland, with notes on other animals associated with the crinoid Antedon. Irish Naturalists' Journal, 21, 357-358.
Nichols, D., 1991. Seasonal reproductive periodicity in the European comatulid crinoid Antedon bifida (Pennant). Proceedings of the Seventh International Echinoderm Conference, Atami, 9-14 September 1990. In Biology of Echinodermata (ed. T. Yanagisawa, I. Yasumasu, C. Oguro, N. Suzuki & T. Motokawa), pp. 241-248. A.A. Balkema. Rotterdam.
Nichols, D., 1994. Sacrificial gonads: A reproductive strategy for the crinoid Antedon bifida. In Proceedings of the eighth international echinoderm conference, Dijon, France, 6-10 September 1993. Echinoderms through time. (ed. B. David, A. Guille, J.P. Feral & M. Roux), pp. 249-254. Rotterdam: Balkema.
Smith, J.E. (ed.), 1968. 'Torrey Canyon'. Pollution and marine life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Stickle, W.B. & Diehl, W.J., 1987. Effects of salinity on echinoderms. In Echinoderm Studies, Vol. 2 (ed. M. Jangoux & J.M. Lawrence), pp. 235-285. A.A. Balkema: Rotterdam.
Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.
Cofnod – North Wales Environmental Information Service, 2018. Miscellaneous records held on the Cofnod database. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hcgqsi accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25.
Fenwick, 2018. Aphotomarine. Occurrence dataset http://www.aphotomarine.com/index.html Accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01
Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.
NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.
OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System), 2023. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2023-03-23
Outer Hebrides Biological Recording, 2018. Invertebrates (except insects), Outer Hebrides. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/hpavud accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.
South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, 2018. SEWBReC Marine and other Aquatic Invertebrates (South East Wales). Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/zxy1n6 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.
This review can be cited as:
Last Updated: 08/05/2008