Old Club Sea Star
Mithrodia clavigera
Also known as: Asteroids, Giant Starfish, Military Starfish, Nail-armed Sea Star, Nail Sea Star, Nail Starfish, Starfish, Studded Sea Star, Studded Starfish
- Asteroids
- Giant Starfish
- Military Starfish
- Nail-armed Sea Star
- Nail Sea Star
- Nail Starfish
- Starfish
- Studded Sea Star
- Studded Starfish
Overview
Found singly or in constellations, on rubble and sandy areas, often partially buried or in holes in the rocks, over coastal bays and lagoons.
Sea Stars have remarkable regenerative powers, when attacked and damaged by predators they are able to grow new arms. They usually have five arms but have been found with 4 or 6 arms, this may be because more than one arm has been damaged at one time!
Sometimes small parasitic limpets can be found on the underside of arms which can deform the arms.
They possess a cleverly evolved arsenal of hydraulic tube feet connected to an elaborate water-vascular system that encircles the animal's mouth and extends via five radial canals down the centre of each arm.
Their mouth is underneath, but their prey is absorbed outside their mouths by forcing out their digestive organs from their stomach.
Sea Stars are carnivores and feed on almost any food including molluscs, worms, detritus and each other!
Some sea stars like the crown of thorns can be venomous.
How to identify
- Behaviour
- buries in sandloose groupssolitary
Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-West Pacific
- Country only · 1
Found singly or in constellations, on rubble and sandy areas, often partially buried or in holes in the rocks, over coastal bays and lagoons.
Adult photos 1
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumEchinodermata
- classAsteroidea
- orderValvatida
- familyMithrodiidae
- genusMithrodia
- speciesMithrodia clavigera (Lamarck, 1816)
SourcesWoRMSSeaLifeBase
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