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Singapore fisherman catches 'alien' creature


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It is a basket star, an enhinoderm. It belongs in the class Ophiuroidea, one of the two classes of Asterozoa.

They are normally live in the deeper ocean. Nothing new or 'alien', though not commonly seen perhaps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basket_star

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Definitely a basket star. As far as I know they are found worldwide and not considered endangered. I find it interesting that the fisherman didn't know what it was.

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I hope he didn't kill it.

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After watching the video, I really can't blame him for thinking it was some sort of alien. The thing looks freaks as ****.

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Someone needs too put an App together so when someone finds an "Alien" they can scan it with their phone and get the answer to what it is........bleep "Basket Star".........bleep "Dead shaven monkey"..........bleep "Mcchicken burger"

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It is weird looking. It's possible he'd never seen one before.

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A completely harmless, plankton filter-feeding echinoderm, the arms unfurl in the current to catch micro organisms. It never ceases to amaze me how little people know of the natural world.

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The more I look the more I learn. This is a rather beautiful creature. I'm sure I'd have touched it due to its beauty.

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I think the 'alien' feel has been created seeing this creature out of its natural habitat.

Going by the pictures on Wiki (rather than my vast knowledge of all sea creatures) it looks perfectly terrestrial flowing and spread out in the sea, once its on land though it becomes a heaving, slimy mess of tendrils that looks very alien indeed.

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Back where I used to do my marine biologicking.. :), a very close relative of these, called 'brittlestars' were quite common in some places, and I would pick them up and hand them to unsuspecting folk to looks of utter amazement - note that they can move quite quickly and their waving undulating tentacles can whip around at quite a rate..

brownstripe_brtlstrs_600.jpgImage from NOAA Ocean Explorer

They really are gorgeously weird creatures, absolutely harmless, often quite colorful too, but they sure do tickle as they crawl/scuttle over you...

Note that they should not be taken out of the water for very long...

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Oh my, humble yourselves! It is the Flying Spaghetti Monster. :nw: Bow down to his noodly appendage. :innocent:

Edited by GreenmansGod
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Back where I used to do my marine biologicking.. :), a very close relative of these, called 'brittlestars' were quite common in some places, and I would pick them up and hand them to unsuspecting folk to looks of utter amazement - note that they can move quite quickly and their waving undulating tentacles can whip around at quite a rate..

brownstripe_brtlstrs_600.jpgImage from NOAA Ocean Explorer

They really are gorgeously weird creatures, absolutely harmless, often quite colorful too, but they sure do tickle as they crawl/scuttle over you...

Note that they should not be taken out of the water for very long...

There is no way you could pay me to touch one of these cousins of facehugger b*******

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Wow,what a cool looking creature I've never seen anything like it..an alien?Um no..it's a terrestrial sea creature,albeit a weird one..I'd love to see it swim around in the ocean,I bet it's a beautiful sight :)

I hope they threw it back..

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This is cool? If I was in the water is it came by to say hello, wings ... I would develop wings. Gone in 60 seconds?

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spirit traveler , do you find actopus a strange food? i find it strange that you find it strange. if you haven't eaten one grilled you don't know what you are missing!!! "drooling"

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spirit traveler , do you find actopus a strange food? i find it strange that you find it strange. if you haven't eaten one grilled you don't know what you are missing!!! "drooling"

I just cannot bring myself to eat octopus. Back when I used to work at a marine research centre, we sometimes had them in tanks for study. They ranged from little (deadly) ones like the hauntingly beautiful blue-ringed octopus, up to much larger and more common varieties. They were fascinating creatures - despite not having huge brains their problem solving skills and dexterity (and strength) set them apart. From squeezing through tiny openings, to escaping from tanks by pushing the lids up, even to unscrewing the lids of screw top jars - they were riveting to watch (although we had to set up cameras and watch remotely sometimes as they seemed a little shy to show off their abilities when large potential predators like us were obviously nearby..).

They, along with seahorses/seadragons and the brittlestars above, were my favorite visitors. I just can't see them as food.. FTR, we looked after our 'subjects' very carefully and humanely and always released them back into the wild as close as possible to where they were captured.

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