Astropecten polyacanthus Müller & Troschel, 1842
Brown spotted combstar
Astropecten polyacanthus
photo by Harasti, David

Family:  Astropectinidae ()
Max. size:  12 cm WD (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 222 m
Distribution:  Southeast Atlantic and entire tropical Indo-Pacific from Red Sea and South Africa to the Hawaiian Islands.
Diagnosis:  The five arms have blunt and tapered ends that curve slightly upwards. Both oral and aboral sides are flattened, with the aboral disc being slightly convex. Body color varies from greenish-blue, to brownish-gray and dark reddish-brown. This species is characterized by its distinctive laterally projecting rows of spines on the supero-marginal plate.
Biology:  Buried in the sand during daytime and crawls on the sand to search for food at night. Feeds primarily on bivalves and gastropods and other small invertebrates buried in the sand (Ref. 800).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

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