The beaded crinoid has a cup shaped body, usually hidden from sight, from which about twenty arms project.

The arms can be 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long and are the only part of the crinoid normally visible as its body is generally concealed in a crevice or inside a sponge.

The arms are orange or red and the pinnules are grey or banded in black and white and have a beaded appearance.

These crinoids often live in the same concealed spot for several years and should not be moved by divers as they are very sensitive to changes in water temperature and illumination.

[4] The longest tube feet on the pinnules trap planktonic particles and push them into the ambulacral groove.