Stephanometra indica Seafeather

Hairy stars are semi-sessile, rather delicate and finer-bodied animals that are able to seek out and change locations in the reef that are suitable for catching plankton.
In the ocean, the age-old principle of "eat and be eaten" applies, and the understandable question arises as to how the graceful hairy stars and also their symbionts can defend themselves against hungry predators?

Hairy stars (Comatulida) are indeed "tasteless", but their symbionts (worms, snails, crabs, shrimp, brittle stars, and fish) are generally not, so the threat of attack by predators is a daily occurrence.
Studies ( see:comatulids (crinoidea, comatulida) chemically defend against coral fish by themselves, without assistance from their symbionts) have shown that some hairy starfish, such as. Comaster nobilis, Clarkcomanthus alternans, Stephanometra indica, Anneissia pinguis, Comanthus gisleni, Himerometra robustipinna, Cenometra bella, Comanthus parvicirrus, Colobometra perspinosa and Dichrometra palmata, secrete extracts that could significantly reduce the feeding appetite of fish such as Neoglyphidodon melas, Abudefduf vaigiensis, Abudefduf sexfasciatus, and Canthigaster valentini on the palatable symbionts.

Stephanometra indica is a common and highly variable nocturnal species, emerging in large numbers after dark from under rocks or in crevices and occupying exposed coral colonies and rocky ledges, more or less perpendicular to the current.
Hairy stars have been found on lagoonal, pinnacle, and seaward reefs and are even found in lagoonal Halimeda patches along sandy slopes.

The hair star keeps hidden during the day, possessing up to 40 arms and a good ring of cirrus.
The anterior leaflets are large, stiff, and spike-like, curving inward to cover the central body mass.

Stephanometra indica is a medium sized feather star with a relatively variable color pattern, classically it is gray-white, concentrically striped, cream, brown or orange. It has the distinction of having its arms more often in two parallel planes, like a fan, than a bush or corolla.

Synonyms:
Antedon flavomaculata Bell, 1894
Antedon indica (Smith, 1876)
Antedon marginata Chadwick, 1908
Antedon monacantha Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon oxyacantha Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon protecta Carpenter, 1879
Antedon protectus Carpenter, 1879
Antedon spicata Carpenter, 1881
Antedon spinipinna Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon tuberculata Hartlaub, 1891
Antedon zebrinus (Lütken MS) A. H. Clark, 1909
Comatula indica Smith, 1876
Himerometra acuta A. H. Clark, 1908
Himerometra heliaster A. H. Clark, 1908
Stephanometra indica indica (Smith, 1876)
Stephanometra indica protecta (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra indica protectus (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra marginata AH Clark, 1909
Stephanometra monacantha (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra oxyacantha (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra protecta (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra spicata (Carpenter, 1881)
Stephanometra spinipinna (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra stypacantha HL Clark, 1915
Stephanometra tuberculata (Hartlaub, 1891)
Synonyms:
Antedon flavomaculata Bell, 1894
Antedon indica (Smith, 1876)
Antedon marginata Chadwick, 1908
Antedon monacantha Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon oxyacantha Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon protecta Carpenter, 1879
Antedon protectus Carpenter, 1879
Antedon spicata Carpenter, 1881
Antedon spinipinna Hartlaub, 1890
Antedon tuberculata Hartlaub, 1891
Antedon zebrinus (Lütken MS) A. H. Clark, 1909
Comatula indica Smith, 1876
Himerometra acuta A. H. Clark, 1908
Himerometra heliaster A. H. Clark, 1908
Stephanometra indica indica (Smith, 1876)
Stephanometra indica protecta (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra indica protectus (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra marginata AH Clark, 1909
Stephanometra monacantha (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra oxyacantha (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra protecta (Carpenter, 1879)
Stephanometra spicata (Carpenter, 1881)
Stephanometra spinipinna (Hartlaub, 1890)
Stephanometra stypacantha HL Clark, 1915
Stephanometra tuberculata (Hartlaub, 1891)