''Hippasteria phrygiana'' is a
sea star
Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
, member of the
Goniasteridae
Goniasteridae (the biscuit stars) constitute the largest family of sea stars, included in the order Valvatida. They are mostly deep-dwelling species, but the family also include several colorful shallow tropical species.
Description
Goniast ...
family.
Description and characteristics
This species grows up to 20 cm in diameter, with short arms and a large body. The upper surface is red and covered with rounded knob-like spines; the lower surface contains many macroscopic bivalved pedicellariae.
Habitat and geographic range
This species is incredibly widely distributed: it is present in the 3 main oceanic basins.
It lives mostly in cold and deep waters.
Biology
This species feeds mostly on cnidarians, especially deep-sea corals.
See also
References
External links
Habitas entryCatalog of Life entryNational Center for Biotechnology Information search
Hippasteria
Animals described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
{{Asteroidea-stub