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sea
stars text index | photo
index
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| Phylum Echinodermata > Class Stelleroida > Subclass Asteroidea > Genera Astropecten |
| Painted
sand star Astropecten sp. Family Astropectinidae updated Aug 10 Where seen? This large colourful fast moving sea star is sometimes encountered on our Northern shores. In sandy or silty shores, near seagrasses. Features: Diameter with arms 6-8cm. Body rather flat. Arms long, tapered to a sharp tip. Along the sides of the arms are large marginal plates and stout flat long spines. These spines resemble the teeth of a comb and members of this family are sometimes called Comb sea stars. The spines are white, usually tinged a pale orange at the base. The white tube feet are pointed. Colours a light blue background with orange or darker blue stripes shading to orange near the tips. The arm tips are black. Sometimes with darker blue bands near the arm tips. The Plain sand star tends to be smaller and is more commonly encountered than the Painted sand star. |
 Changi, Jun 05  |
 A reddish worm seen on the underside of one. Tuas, Oct 10 |
 Stout flat spines on the sides. |
 Madreporite at bottom right. |
Painted sand stars on Singapore shores
 Changi, Jun 06 |
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 Pointed tube feet. |
 Changi, Jul 08 |
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*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.
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