A group of scientists announced a new species they’re calling the “Antarctic Strawberry Feather Star” in a recent issue of Invertebrate Systematics.
What makes this sea creature so “cryptic” is that it has a body shaped like a strawberry, 20 arms that vary in length, and its color changes from light purple to a deep red, according to the article. It can also be found anywhere from 65- to 6,500-feet deep underwater.
Because of its unusual physical traits, scientists described the Strawberry Feather Star as having an “otherworldly appearance” when it swim and some laymen go so far as to say it gives off an Aliens face-hugger vibe.
The group made the discovery after several research expeditions between 2008 and 2017 in which they were searching for Antarctic Feather Stars, which belong to the same genetic family as starfish. In all, they collected eight samples.
