Discover what lies beneath Malta's seabed! Have you ever heard of the basket star?
They’re close relatives of the sea urchins.
Unless you’re a deep-sea scuba diver, chances are you’ve never seen what lies deep down beneath Malta and Gozo’s seabed.
But thankfully cameras and the divers that operate them can give us a better glimpse.
For instance, have you ever heard of the basket star?
As explained by marine biologist, Alan Deidun this creature is an ophiuroid and is a close relative of the more commonly known sea urchins.
But these animals are a bit harder to spot as even though they’re a native of the Mediterranean, they’re only found way deep in our waters.
For instance, the basket star shown in the photo, was spotted at a depth of 107 metres by Adam Sant, the diver who captured the amazing shot.
A basket star can weigh around 5kg and lives up to 35 years.