Pale
scaly sea stars
Nepanthia maculata
Family Asterinidae
updated
Jul 2020
Where
seen? So far, seen only once, on Beting Bronok. According
to Lane, this sea star is rather rare in Singapore. It was only first
recorded for Singapore in 1991. According to Marsh and Fromont, it is found on muddy to coarse sand with rubble or coral in sheltered waters in Australia.
Features: Diameter with arms about
11cm. A rounded star (not flat) with long plump arms like half a cylinder
with a flat base and rounded tips. The
upper side is covered with 'scales'. When
submerged tiny transparent finger-like structures (papulae) might
be seen on the upperside. Its
underside is plain. On the underside, in grooves along the arms, are
long tube feet tipped with suckers.
May be mistaken for the Red
scaly sea star. The Red scaly sea star
is smaller with reddish markings on the underside, and is more commonly
encountered.
|
Beting Bronok, Aug 05 |
Scales
on the upperside. |
Tiny tube feet emerge among the scales. |
Pale underside.
|
Long tube feet from the grooves
on the underside.
|
Tiny tube feet emerge among the scales.
|
Pale
scaly sea stars on Singapore shores |
References
- Loisette M. Marsh and Jane Fromont. Field Guide to Shallow Water Seastars of Australia. 2020. Western Australian Museum. 543pp.
- Lane, David
J.W. and Didier Vandenspiegel. 2003. A
Guide to Sea Stars and Other Echinoderms of Singapore.
Singapore Science Centre. 187pp.
|
|
|