Pentaceraster
sea star
Pentaceraster mammillatus
Family Oreasteridae
updated
Mar 2020
Where
seen? This large sea star is a new record for Singapore! It was discovered
in 2008 on Cyrene Reef,
a submerged reef in the middle of our port. This sea star was previously known to exist only in the western Indian
Ocean and the Red Sea, so its presence in Singapore waters represents
a considerable range increase.
Features: Diameter with arms
to about 15cm. Hard, heavy body with long tapering arms that are thick and triangular
in cross-section. It has a regular pattern of white rounded knobs
on the upper surface. The underside is pale and it has pink tube feet.
Baby stars: A small one (about
5cm wide) was seen
at Cyrene Reef in Apr 2010. Does this mean that the sea stars are
breeding there? |
Cyrene Reef, Apr 08 |
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A
small one was seen!
Cyrene Reef, Apr 10
Photo
shared by Sean Yap on his
blog. |
| Pentaceraster
sea stars on Singapore shores |
| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
Chek Jawa, Dec 23
Shared
by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.
|
Chek Jawa, Dec 23
Shared
by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
Chek Jawa, Dec 23
Shared
by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
Cyrene Reef, May 11
Photo
shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog. |
Cyrene Reef, Aug 10
Shared
by Neo Mei Lin on her
blog. |
A
small one about 9cm in diameter.
Cyrene Reef, May 10 |
Cyrene Reef, Jul 10
Shared
by Toh Chay Hoon on her
blog. |
Cyrene Reef, Jul 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog. |
Cyrene Reef,
Jun 10
Photo
shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog. |
This star seems unwell.
Cyrene Reef, Mar 09
Shared
by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog.
|
Cyrene Reef, Jun 16
Shared
by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog.
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