Common sunstar


The common sunstar or Crossaster papposus is a species of sea star belonging to the family Solasteridae. It is found in the northern parts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.

Distribution

The common sunstar is distributed from the Arctic down to the English Channel, in the North Sea, also on both East and Pacific coasts of North America. It is also circumboreal, found in Greenland, Iceland, the Barents Sea, Kola Bay, Okhotsk Sea and the White Sea.

Habitat

The common sunstar is commonly found on rocky bottoms, coarse sand and gravel in the bathyal, infralittoral and circalittoral zone. It seems to prefer areas of high water movement. Very small sunstars are sometimes found in rock pools.

Description

It is reddish on top with concentric bands of white, pink, yellow, or dark red, and it is white on the underside. It is covered on top with brushlike spines, with the marginal spines somewhat larger. The thick, central disc is fairly large. This central disc has a netlike pattern of raised ridges. The mouth area is bare. It has relatively short arms which usually number eight to fourteen. Its radius can be up to 15 cm. The madreporite plate stands out clearly.

Food

The common sunstar is an omnivore. It will eat almost anything including smaller starfish and sunstars, swallowing them whole. It is also a scavenger.