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Trees- ShrubsPurple/ red starfish (Ophidiaster ophidianus)
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Ophidiaster ophidianus is a starfish with a diameter up to 50cm and a small central disc. It has five long cylindrical, blunt tipped arms (1), where they narrow at the base. On each side of the arms they have a double row of short blunt spines and a single row of long “club shaped” spines (2). They are very brightly coloured ranging from red, orange to dark purple. Occasionally they can have spots along their body, these spots will be a darker colour compared to the colour of their body (3). They are quite rough in texture which can give them a fuzzy looking appearance (1).
Ophidiaster ophidianus is most commonly distributed over a rocky shore, but can be found on mixed substrates (2). The shallow sub littoral zone is where they are most frequently found, however they can go to depths to 100m, but is very rare for them to go below 20m (3).
Echinoderms reproduce asexually involving the release of gametes into the water (4), where the eggs are fertilized and once fertilized they begin life as planktonic larvae, and then go through the stages of metamorphism where they grow into a starfish (5).
Atlantic and the Mediterranean, mostly found on rocky substrata, have been found in sea grass beds such as Posidonia. Can be found at various depths, up to 100m (6), very rare below 20m (3).
It feeds upon molluscs, gastropods and also worms where it burrows in the sand. It has also been known to feed on sea urchins and brittle stars (7).
Listed under The Bern convention Annex II
Listed as threatened under the IUCN Red list
Description written by Stephanie Barnicoat
1) Wood, L. Sea Fishes and invertebrates of The Mediterranean Sea. 2002
2) Hayward.P, Nelson-Smith. T, & Sheilds. C (1996). Collins pocket guide Sea Shore of Britain and Europe.
3) Wirtz. P & Debelius. H (2003). Mediterranean and Atlantic Invertebrate guide.
4) Bio Review Animals (1999) Phylum Echinodermata [online] Available http://library.thinkquest.org/28751/review/animals/7.html [date accessed: 12/10/2009]
5) Barnes, R.S.K, Calow, P, Olive P.J.W, Golding, D.W, & Spicer, J.I. The invertebrates A synthesis third edition 2001.
6) Parha, M (2009). www.mchportal.com (date accessed: 19/10/09)
7) Ferguson. J. C. (1969) Feeding activity in Echinaster and its induction with dissolved nutrients, Biology Bulletin, 136: 374-384
8) www.jncc.gov.uk (Date accessed: 16/10/09)
9) IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 October 2009.
