Proisocrinus ruberrimus (Moulin Rouge)
Proisocrinus ruberrimus, the Moulin Rouge sea lily, can live at depths of 1,800m and has only been encountered during deep sea scientific sampling expeditions.
Proisocrinus ruberrimus is a rare stalked crinoid which lives on the deep sea floor.
Stalked crinoids, also known as sea lilies, have feathery crowns of arms that they use to filter food particles from the water flowing past them. They also have a tether-like stalk, which in P. ruberrimus is long and slender.
The animal also has a very noticeable red colour. This has earned it the name Moulin Rouge, after the French cabaret with the red windmill on its roof.
Species detail
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Taxonomy
Get a detailed diagnostic description of Proisocrinus ruberrimus and find out the rationale for placing it in the order Isocrinida.
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Distribution and habitat
Proisocrinus ruberrimus is rarely encountered, living at depths down to 1,800m. It is not currently under threat, although deep sea trawling could become an issue in the future. Discover where this deep sea species is known from and the type of environment it lives in.
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Biology
Find out about the size, growth and life expectancy of Proisocrinus ruberrimus and learn about its lifecycle. Discover how dispersal of the species occurs.
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Behaviour and ecology
Proisocrinus ruberrimus is a sessile animal which lives fixed to rocky substrates on the sea floor. Learn more about the behaviour and feeding habits of this crinoid, as well as what is known about its associations with other species.
Images
Proisocrinus ruberrimus, the Moulin Rouge sea lily
A stalked crinoid in the order Isocrinida, probably in the genus Metacrinus, imaged by DTIS (Deep Towed Imaging System) on Seamount 4 (an underwater mountain).
© New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (TAN0803)
Proisocrinus ruberrimus, the Moulin Rouge sea lily
Proisocrinus ruberrimus, the Moulin Rouge sea lily
Author
Aaron Hunter
Invertebrate Curator, Department of Zoology.
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Reference
Oji T and Kitazawa K (2008) Discovery of two rare species of stalked crinoids from Okinawa Trough, southwestern Japan, and their systematic and biogeographic implications. Zoological Science 25(1): 115-121.