And yes, CNN failed at identifying these as Crinoids.
Andrew is a post-doctoral researcher in North Carolina focused on population and conservation genetics in hydrothermal vent communities.
David is a graduate student in Florida. He studies the ecology and conservation of sharks. 
Amy is a graduate student in North Carolina studying local ecological knowledge within small scale fisheries. 
Chuck is a graduate student in North Carolina focusing on apex predators and how they interact with fisheries. 
Lyndell is a graduate student in North Carolina, studying the feeding ecology of cownose rays. 
Iris is a graduate student in Washington studying habitat use and feeding habits of juvenile Pacific salmon and herring in Puget Sound. 
Michael is a graduate student in Maryland investigating the visual systems of mantis shrimp. |
Biodiversity Wednesday: Crinoids in Antarctica3 comments to Biodiversity Wednesday: Crinoids in Antarctica |
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Didn’t CNN used to employ some science reporters? With, like, background in science?
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I mean, they got the domain and kingdom right. Can we really expect reporters to be able to tell an echinoderm from an arthropod? /sarcasm
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I remember seeing this or similar footage about a year ago. Numerous debates raged on YouTube over what the creatures were as the reporters and various stories referred to them as sea spiders. I remember some folks insisting I was wrong.
I tried to infer what the taxa is at one point, but can’t remember how far I got. A common comatulid crinoid in that region is Promachocrinus kerguelensis, but I’d need to see one of these up closer to tell for sure.
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