Common starfish
Common starfish Asterias rubens. A damaged small individual regrowing its arms is in the foreground.
Image width ca 40 cm.
Image: Sue Scott
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Asterias rubens Common starfish |
Common starfish Asterias rubens. A damaged small individual regrowing its arms is in the foreground. Image width ca 40 cm. Image: Sue Scott |
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Phylum | Echinodermata |
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Class | Asteroidea |
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Habitat Information |
| Asterias rubens occurs in varying abundance upon a variety of substrata that include coarse and shelly gravel and rock. Reported abundances vary between 2-31 Asterias rubens per m² on fine sand and 324-809 specimens on algal carpets (Anger et al., 1977). |
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Species description |
| Asterias rubens is the most common and familiar starfish in the north-east Atlantic region. Asterias rubens may grow up to 52 cm in diameter, but commonly 10-30 cm. Asterias rubens is variable in colour, though usually orange, pale brown or violet. Deep-water specimens are pale. It has five tapering arms, broad at the base that are often slightly turned up at the tip when active. |
| PMF archive information |
| Unavailable |
| Species name is listed in the PMF at the following locations: |
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>Castle Rocks The Salstone |
Links to the MarLIN Biology and Sensitivity Key-information pages | |||||
| Taxonomy & Identification |
General Biology | Habitat Preference & Distribution | Sensitivity & Recoverability | Importance | |