Eleven-armed Sea Star

Coscinasterias muricata

Sea Life Native IUCN: Not Evaluated

About

It is the largest starfish in southern Australia it has seven to fourteen arms, with eleven being the commonest number. The aboral (upper) surface of the arms has longitudinal rows of short spines along the surface and margins and the oral (lower) surface has two rows of tube feet. The colour is orange mottled with shades of blue, green, grey and reddish-brown. This starfish is prone to shedding its arms, making it asymmetric until new arms have grown

Size

Can reach a diameter of 50 cm

Habitat

It is common around southern Australia and New Zealand where it is found on rocks, under boulders and in sandy habitats to depths of about 150 m

Distribution

Its range extends in Australia from Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia to southern Australia, Tasmania and eastern Australia as far north as Port Denison in Queensland

Local Sightings

1 recorded sighting in and around the area.

References & citations (1)
  1. The Atlas of Living Australia (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)

Header image: CC BY-SA 4.0 © wildroo

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