Scientists have discovered a new species of sea monster lurking in the frozen seas around Antarctica. The creature, which has 20 arms and a body shaped like a strawberry, is a member of the group known as Antarctic feather stars, or Promachocrinus.

Antarctic feather stars are related to starfish and sea cucumbers, but they have a unique and otherworldly appearance. They are large animals that can live anywhere from 20 to 2,000 meters (65 to 6,500 feet) underwater, where they feed on plankton and other small organisms. They can swim by waving their arms, or attach themselves to rocks or corals with their claw-like appendages.

The new species, named Promachocrinus fragarius, or the Antarctic strawberry feather star, was found by researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, who trawled the Southern Ocean on several expeditions between 2008 and 2017. They collected eight specimens of the new species, which ranged in color from purplish to dark reddish. They also identified three other new species of Antarctic feather stars, based on their DNA and morphology.

The researchers named the Antarctic strawberry feather star after its resemblance to a strawberry, which is also reflected in its scientific name. The name fragarius comes from the Latin word for strawberry. The researchers described their findings in a paper published in the journal Invertebrate Systematics in July.

The discovery of the new species adds to the diversity and complexity of life in the Antarctic waters, which are home to many unique and adapted organisms. The researchers said that there are still many unknown species in this region, and that further exploration and research are needed to understand them.