Astropecten armatus

Spiny sand star | Comb Sand Star
Astropecten armatus
Astropecten armatus, Galapagos, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Astropecten armatus
Astropecten armatus, Galapagos, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Astropecten armatus
Astropecten armatus, Channel Islands, USA, Photo: Olivia Johnson
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Astropecten armatus
Astropecten armatus
Astropecten armatus

Distribution

Tropical Eastern Pacific


Description

Variable red/brown coloured sea star with five legs, and fringe of spines around edges. Inhabits areas of soft bottom and sand patches near reefs.


Information

Max Size: 15 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 16-29.3°C

Depth: 0-160m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Frequent (11.7% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields