Astropecten polyacanthus
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| Astropecten polyacanthus | ||||||||||||||||
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| Astropecten polyacanthus Müller and Troschel, 1842 |
Astropecten polyacanthus, or the comb star, is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae. It is the most widespread species in the Astropecten genus, found throughout the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and Zanzibar to Hawaii, and Japan to Australia and New Zealand. Armspread is up to 20 cm.
Astropecten polyacanthus spends most of its time buried below sandy silty bottoms in inshore coastal estuaries and harbours, down to depths of 40 metres. It buries itself by digging out a shallow hole with its tube feet, turning up the sides of the arms so that the excavated deposit can be tossed aside, and moves about slowly just below the surface. Unlike other sea stars, Astropecten polyacanthus has tube feet which are suckerless, as these would have limited usefulness on a soft substrate.
Along the sides of the arms are large, sharp spines, giving rise to its common name. Coloration is greyish yellow to dark purple above and orange underneath. Its preferred food is shellfish, but will also eat the New Zealand heart urchin, Echinocardium australe. Prey is swallowed whole, and is not pre-digested.
Recent studies have disclosed that these sea stars contain tetrodotoxin.
[edit] References
- Miller M & Batt G, Reef and Beach Life of New Zealand, William Collins (New Zealand) Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1973
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- Tetrotoxin
