Who?
Greg Rouse is a professor at the University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography who teaches in the Marine Biologist Division, and his team consists of Emily Mclanglin and Nerid Wilson. Emily Mclaughlin is a member of his team and has finished her 1st year as an MS student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, whose job is to work on crinoid (a marine animal). DR. Nerid Wilson who got her PhD in 2004 works as a marine molecular biologist and works in the range of biological diversity and the understanding and describing them.
Photograph of Greg Rouse
Photograph of Emily Mclaughlin
Photograpjh of Nerid Wilson
What?
The species discovered is called the Antarca Strawberry Feather Star. The scientifical name for it is Promachocrinus fragaruis. Even though it was already discovered, their kind usually has 10 arms while this type has 20. This left researchers to fix their 4 previously misordered categories and left them to add a couple more. The considerably longer 'arms' that point upward and are coated in feather-like protrusions provide it its mobility, as do the little tentacles on its underside that have tiny claws allowing it to connect to the seafloor.
"The Southern Ocean has unique environmental conditions that may drive biodiversity,"-Greg Rouse, Emily McLaughlin, and Nerid Wilson
When & Where?
From 2008 to 2017 the expedition called "Cryptic Biodiversity" led by Greg Rouse and his team. Along with the Antarctica Strawberry Feather Star 4 other species were discovered. The research took place near the coast of Antarctica
Source:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/08/11/antarctic-strawberry-feather-star/70574090007/
About the Contributor
Monica Mawi
Orbit Online- News Editor/ Animal Spotlight
Monicalian Mawi, an 8th IB major at Classen SAS. She’s been attending Classen ever since 5th grade. It is currently her first year in the Yearbook Committee and ORBIT, Outside of that, she likes to draw, listen to music, and bake.