Near Antarctica found a new creature - a starfish with 20 limbs

Biologists from the University of California (USA) have discovered off the coast of Antarctica a previously unknown starfish with 20 limbs. They talked about it in article for the journal Invertebrate Systematics.

The new creature was discovered during one of the expeditions that took place from 2008 to 2017. Then the researchers went to the very south of the Earth in search of promachocrinus (Antarctic feathered animals), but made another discovery. Now they have studied and described the unusual find.

The animal was named Promachocrinus fragarius, which translates as "Antarctic Star of Strawberry Feathers." It looks like a starfish or a urchin. It lives at a depth of 20 meters to 2 kilometers. The color of its limbs can be of different colors - from white to dark red or purple. A total of eight species were found, four of which were unique.

Scientists plan to continue exploring the depths of the Antarctic Ocean, which is considered one of the most unexplored places on the planet due to low temperatures and extreme conditions. They are sure that many more new species live in its bowels.