Gorgonocephalus eucnemis

Lore & Background

Gorgonocephalus eucnemis has a central disc up to 14 cm across with five pairs of arms that branch dichotomously into smaller subdivisions. Its color is varying shades of white and beige, often with a darker disc. It has an endoskeleton of calcified ossicles and is covered in a fleshy layer of skin giving it a rubbery appearance. The arms are covered in tiny hooks and spines used to grip and manipulate food particles.

It feeds by perching in an elevated position and extending its arms in a net-like fashion perpendicular to the current. The branches and branchlets twist and coil, making it resemble an animated bush. It ensnares small crustaceans such as northern krill, copepods, chaetognaths, jellyfish, and detritus. Trapped prey becomes the center of a 'knot' where it is immobilized by mucus secretion. Further coiling brings food to the mouth on the underside of the central disc, where branchlets pass through a comb-like structure to remove food particles. There is no anus; undigested fragments are expelled through the mouth.

Individual basket stars are either male or female. After spawning, the larvae become part of the plankton and disperse with currents. It is cryptic and remains well hidden during the day, protected by the toxic nature of sponges where it lurks, but is sometimes eaten by fish and crabs. It has been observed to return to a specific location regularly. It is often found living in association with sponges and soft corals in the genus Gersemia, hiding under them or in folds of sponges during the day and using them as elevated platforms for searching for prey at night. In Puget Sound, juveniles have been found living and apparently feeding inside the pharynges of Gersemia rubiformis polyps, only emerging when sufficiently grown.

Reader's Guide

Gorgonocephalus eucnemis is notable for its distinctive appearance and feeding strategy, using its branching arms to form a net that captures small prey in strong currents. Its scientific name directly references the Gorgon's head from Greek mythology, highlighting the visual similarity to writhing serpents. The species is found across circumpolar northern waters, from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic as far south as the Faroe Islands and Massachusetts, and in the Pacific from the Bering Sea to Japan and California. It inhabits rocky areas with strong currents at depths up to 2,000 meters, though most common between 15 and 150 meters. Its biology includes a unique feeding method involving mucus secretion and a comb-like structure to process food, and it lacks an anus. Ecologically, it relies on sponges and soft corals for daytime concealment and nighttime hunting platforms, and juveniles have been observed living inside the polyps of Gersemia rubiformis. The species is cryptic and returns to specific locations, indicating site fidelity.

Did You Know?

• The scientific name Gorgonocephalus eucnemis comes from Greek words meaning 'dreadful head' and 'good boot.'
• Its central disc can reach up to 14 cm across, with five pairs of branching arms.
• Juveniles in Puget Sound have been found living inside the pharynges of Gersemia rubiformis polyps.