Red Starfish
(Echinaster sepositus)
Facts
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IUCN NOT EVALUATED (NE)
Facts about this animal
The colour of the Red Starfish is a vivid red to red-orange. There are usually 5 (rarely 4, 6 or 7) slender, cylindrical arms connected to the small disc which are 8-15 cm long. The average arm span is 10-20 cm with a maximum of 30 cm. The ventral ambulacral grooves of each arm, carrying two rows of tube feet, can be closed. The tube feet have suckers, longitudinal retracting muscles and are erected by water pressure of the water-vascular system. The surface of the whole animal is armed with small spines of 1.5 mm length but which are completely covered by mucus of the glandular skin giving the body a soapy texture. There are also irregularly distributed elevations and craters with papulae which help for respiration.
Eggs are directly developing to young starfishes. There is no larval state.
The Red Starfish hides under rocks or is exposed.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | ASTEROIDEA |
| Order | SPINULOSIDA |
| Suborder | LEPTOGNATHINA |
| Name (Scientific) | Echinaster sepositus |
| Name (English) | Red Starfish |
| Name (French) | Etoile de mer rouge |
| Name (German) | Roter Seestern, Purpurstern |
| Name (Spanish) | Estrella espinosa roja |
| Local names | Dutch: Oranjerode zeester Italian: Stella marina rossa, Stella rossa |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
Albert Kok
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean from northern Bretagne to the Cape Verde Islands |
| Habitat | In depths of 1-200 m (rarely to 1000 m). On solid surfaces like rocks or limestone made of haptophyte sediments. Occasionally on muddy and sandy ground and in seagrass meadows. |
| Wild population | Very common |
| Zoo population | 48 reported to ISIS (2008) |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
The Common Starfish should be sorted by size and cooled down with ice bags. At the aquarium not temperature adaption is necessary.
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Photo Copyright by
Albert Kok
How this animal should be kept
Tank size should be 400 l per specimen. Use glass tanks since starfish are sensitive to metals. Water temperature should not exceed 23 °C, thus it is not suitable for tropical sea water aquariums. Old tanks with well developed algae covers are preferred. The Red Starfish should be kept by experts only. It can be fed with algae, mussels, food pellets, flakes and frozen food. It is a food specialist.