Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of these stellar deep-sea stars

The deep seafloor is home to a dazzling diversity of star-shaped invertebrates. From expansive abyssal plains to rocky canyons, these stars-in the subphylum Asterozoa-have adapted in various ways to thrive in the deep. Some of these underwater stars scuttle across the mud on an army of tiny tube feet. Others perch on rocky outcrops, waving a twisted tangle of arms in the current. Their diets range from tiny drifting plankton to scavenged scraps, or crustaceans, worms, and even the occasional fish! Several of these sensational stars have armored plates for protection, while others spew nasty slime when a predator tries to grab a bite!
Understanding and documenting the amazing biodiversity of animals in the deep sea is increasingly critical. Fishing pressure, pollution, and climate change all threaten ocean health. Help us spread the word about protecting the important but rarely-seen habitats deep below the ocean’s surface.
More fascinating animals of the deep: mbari.co/AnimalsOfTheDeep
Producer/editor: Larissa Lemon
Production team: Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun
Music: Absolute Calmness by Danii Davydov (Motion Array)
Animals in order of appearance:
0:00 Basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis) | 4,272 feet (1,302 meters) | Davidson Seamount
0:09 California sun star (Rathbunaster californicus) | 1,535 feet (468 meters) | Monterey Canyon
0:16 Cushion star (Pterasteridae) | 4,298 feet (1,310 meters) | Sur Ridge
0:30 Brittle star (Ophiuroidea) | 5,118 feet (1,560 meters) | Pacific Northwest
0:37 Sea star (Benthopecten claviger) | 6,703 feet ( 2,043 meters) | Pacific Northwest | horizontal lasers 29 cm apart, vertical 2.5 cm
0:45 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 10,525 feet (3,208 meters) | Monterey Bay | lasers 30 cm apart
0:52 Sea star (Nearchaster) | 9,337 feet (2,846 meters) | Taney Seamount | lasers 29 cm apart
1:00 Slime star (Hymenaster) | 10,157 feet (3,096 meters) | Monterey Canyon | lasers 29 cm apart
1:09 Slime star (Pterasteridae), brisingid sea star (Brisingidae), and California sun star (Rathbunaster californicus) | 627 meters | Monterey Canyon | | horizontal lasers 29 cm apart, vertical 2.5 cm
1:15 Sea star (Zoroasteridae) | 8,087 feet (2,465 meters) | Monterey Bay
1:23 California sun star (Rathbunaster californicus) | 679 feet (207 meters) | Monterey Bay
1:32 Cushion star (Pterasteridae) | 10,715 feet (3,266 meters) | Davidson Seamount
1:38 Basket star (Gorgonocephalus sp.) and brittle star (Ophiuroidea) | 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) | Taiwan
1:46 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 4,698 feet (1,423 meters) | Pacific Northwest | lasers 29 cm apart
1:54 Cushion star (Pterasteridae) | 2,756 feet (840 meters) | Sur Ridge
2:00 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 5,790 feet (1,765 meters) | Guide Seamount
2:14 Slime star (Hymenaster) | 8,094 feet (2,467 meters) | Pacific Northwest | horizontal lasers 29 cm apart, vertical 2.5 cm
2:22 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 2,238 feet (682 meters) | Monterey Bay
2:29 Slime star (Hymenaster) | 6,706 feet (2,044 meters) | Pacific Northwest | lasers 29 cm apart
2:36 Spiny sea star (Hippasteria californica) | 4,006 feet (1,221 meters) | Sur Ridge | lasers 29 cm apart
2:43 Sea star (Asteroidea) | 3,228 feet (984 meters) | Monterey Canyon | lasers 30-35 cm apart
2:52 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 8,087 feet (2,465 meters) | Monterey Bay
2:58 Fish-eating star (Stylasterias forreri) | 1,210 feet (369 meters) | Monterey Canyon | lasers 30 - 35 cm apart
3:06 Five-arm basket star (Asteronyx) | 2,103 feet (641 meters) | Monterey Canyon
3:13 Sea star (Asthenactis fisheri) | 5,118 feet (1,560 meters) | Pacific Northwest | horizontal lasers 29 cm apart, vertical 2.5 cm
3:20 Brisingid sea star (Brisingidae) | 2,323 feet (708 meters) | Monterey Canyon
3:28 Sea star (Hippasteria) and brittle stars (Ophiuroidea) | 5,545 feet (1,690 meters) | Guide Seamount | horizontal lasers 29 cm apart, vertical 2.5 cm
3:38 Sea star (Asteroidea) | 5,659 feet (1,725 meters) | Davidson Seamount
3:43 Brittle star in sponge (ophiuroids in Porifera) | 2,077 feet (633 meters) | Monterey Canyon
3:50 California sun star (Rathbunaster californicus) and five-arm basket star (Asteronyx) | 1,394 feet (425 meters) | Monterey Canyon
3:50 Sea star (Luidia foliolata) | 1,306 feet (398 meters) | Monterey Bay
4:05 Slime star (Hymenaster) | 8,084 feet (2,464 meters) | Monterey Bay
4:12 Spiny sea star (Hippasteria) | 3,980 feet (1,213 meters) | Sur Ridge
4:20 Sea star (Leptasterias) | 10,033 feet (3,058 meters) | Morro Bay area
4:37 Basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis) | 374 feet (114 meters) | Monterey Bay
4:34 Sea star (Crossaster borealis) | 4,357 feet (1,328 meters) | Pacific Northwest | horizontal lasers 29 cm, vertical 2.5 cm
4:42 Sea star (Benthopecten) | 3,058 feet (932 meters) | Morro Bay | horizontal lasers 29 cm, vertical 2.5 cm
4:49 Spiny sea star (Hippasteria) | 5,174 feet (1,577 meters) | Pacific Northwest | horizontal lasers 29 cm, vertical 2.5 cm

[@xypnosii]

being able to see all this for free, no questions asked, is such a blessing. thank you to the hard working people at MBARI

[@boundsgreenboy8354]

The diversity of these creatures is truly wonderful, thanks again to everyone connected @MBARI 👌

[@shelleyboren2877]

Thank you! Thank you for bringing these wonderful videos to us. To all of us, but especially those of us who don't have the opportunity to see these marvelous creatures in person. Your work is truly appreciated. Bless you all.

[@leannefreeman8912]

Thank you to everyone involved in bringing these amazingly diverse features to everyone.I would love to see a similar video of jellyfish as they are my favourite. Blessings

[@hazel-nut]

A real visual symphony 😍😍😍

[@lesbingus]

so cool, thank you again for sharing these beautiful videos

[@lisakaether5864]

Beautiful!! Thx. Lisa

[@CrowSkeleton]

These are all wonderful creatures, but dang, was not expecting the pillowstar to have long leggies...

[@blackmelonite128]

Good pacing in this video

[@EscapeCondition]

Incredible

[@Ivan77445]

Спасибо ! Красиво !!!

[@karstensiegmarsson5304]

Marvelous, simply stunning. By the way, what´s the scale/space of the laser measurement?

[@donnalambs9578]

What are they worm balls ?

[@albertschultz7151]

Thanks for sharing. Absolutely exquisite life forms. Sincerely hope that deep sea mining never happens. We Homo Sapiens have destroyed some much already.

[@nathanasan7416]

any possibility of filming it in a way to fits the VR glasses?

[@vaterchenfrost7481]

Is it possible to indicate the corresponing depths in witch the creatures are filmed all the time?

[@larissalemon3702]

They are in the chapter list under the description

[@vaterchenfrost7481]

@@larissalemon3702 I ment in the pictures, but it might be to difficult to edit. Anyhow, thx for quick reply.

[@uppityglivestockian]

And Salvador Dali was here at 1:58.

[@happysunshine1988]

Beautiful Aliens 😍💗🌏💗

[@ronaldvanheest3572]

Unless there’s been a new phylogenetic study, I believe echinoderms are the closest living relatives of all vertebrates?

[@1.4142]

❄

[@uppityglivestockian]

Dude at 0:52 is drunk.

[@coastaltechnologies2329]

can you please make these videos at least 20-30 minutes long? I know you guys have way more footage than this

[@JustYourRegularNoah5973]

Wee I’m first!