Hippasteria phrygiana is a sea star species, a member of the Goniasteridae family.
Hippasteria phrygiana | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Echinodermata |
Class: | Asteroidea |
Order: | Valvatida |
Family: | Goniasteridae |
Genus: | Hippasteria |
Species: | H. phrygiana
|
Binomial name | |
Hippasteria phrygiana (Parelius, 1768)
| |
Synonyms | |
Hippasteria spinosa Verrill, 1909 |
Description and characteristics
editThis species grows up to 20 cm in diameter, with short arms and a large body. The upper surface is red and covered with rounded knob-like spines; the lower surface contains many macroscopic bivalved pedicellariae.
Habitat and geographic range
editThis species is incredibly widely distributed: it is present in the 3 main oceanic basins.[1]
It lives mostly in cold and deep waters.[1]
Biology
editThis species feeds mostly on cnidarians, especially deep-sea corals.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Mah, Christopher L. (2013-02-12). "Starfish Mystery! 3 Oceans, 2 Hemispheres, but ONE species?!". The Echinoblog.
- ^ Mah, Christopher L. (2013-09-16). "Goniasterid Starfish LOVE to eat Octocorals!". The Echinoblog.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Hippasteria phrygiana.
- Habitas entry
- Catalog of Life entry[permanent dead link]
- National Center for Biotechnology Information search
- Seawater.no entry