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sea
stars text index | photo
index
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| Phylum Echinodermata > Class Stelleroida > Subclass Asteroidea |
| Biscuit
sea star Goniodiscaster scaber Family Oreasteridae updated Oct 10 Where seen? This thick, neatly shaped sea star does indeed look like a biscuit in shape and colour! It is sometimes seen on our Northern shores, in coral rubble areas and among seagrasses, usually alone or widely spaced apart. There are times, however, when large numbers of this sea star are seen. Sometimes, tiny ones less than 1cm are seen among seagrasses. Features: Diameter with arms 5-15cm, sometimes really small ones about 2-3cm are seen. Body flat but thick. Arms rather short with rounded tips and smooth sides (no spines) so that the sea star looks like it was cut out with a cookie-cutter! The upper side has a neat pattern of rounded bumps. The underside is pale to white, larger ones be darker in the centre with bluish edges along the grooves where the orange tube feet emerge. The tube feet are tipped with suckers. It does not have large bivalved pedicellariae (pincer-like structures) on its underside or upper side. Colours of the upper side generally shades of brown, with regular, neat patterns of spots and bars in darker brown, yellow, orange or white. Patterns may vary among individuals. What does it eat? These sea stars have been observed clasping coral rubble coated with encrusting animals. They may be feeding on these organisms. We don't really know for sure. Sometimes confused with the Spiny sea star (Gymnanthenea laevis) and the Cake sea star (Anthenea aspera). Here's more on how to tell apart large sea stars seen on our shores. |
 Tuas, Jun 05  |
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 Upperside. |
 Underside. |
 Does not have large bivalved pedicellaria. |
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Biscuit sea stars on Singapore shores
 Beting Bronok, Jul 03 |
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 Changi, Jul 08 |
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 Sometimes, the underside is plain. |
 Chek Jawa, Jun 05 |
 Chek Jawa, Jul 03 |
 Changi, Oct 10 |
more photos of biscuit sea stars on Singapore shores
northern shores part 1 | part 2 | part 3
southern shores
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References
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