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Phylum Echinodermata > Class Stelleroida > Subclass Asteroidea > Genera Astropecten
Orange sand star
Astropecten sp.
Family Astropectinidae
updated Mar 2020
Where seen? This large sea star with a startling orange underside is sometimes seen on sandy shores.

Features: Diameter with arms 10-15cm. Body rather flat.
Arms long, tapered to a sharp tip. Along the sides of the arms are large marginal plates and stout long sharp spines. These spines resemble the teeth of a comb and members of this family are sometimes called Comb sea stars. The upperside generally beige with blue edges. The underside of the body is bright orange. Tube feet also bright orange, large with white pointed tips.

Cyrene Reef, Aug 13

Bright orange underside.


Tiny orange star?
Changi, Jul 08


*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

Orange sand stars on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Tanah Merah, Mar 13

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.


Lazarus Island, Jan 24
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

St John's Island, Feb 24

Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


St John's Island, Oct 20

Photo shared by Vincent Choo on facebook.


Cyrene Reef, Aug 13
Photo shared by Heng Pei Yan on her blog.

Bright orange tubefeet with white pointed tips.

Filmed on Cyrene Reef Aug 2013

shared by Heng Pei Yan on her blog.

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