| Porania pulvillus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Aboral and oral surfaces of P. pulvillus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Valvatida |
| Family: | Poraniidae |
| Genus: | Porania |
| Species: | P. pulvillus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Porania pulvillus O.F. Müller, 1776
| |
| Synonyms[2][3] | |
| |
Porania pulvillus, also called the red cushion star, is a species of sea star in the family Poraniidae.[4] The specific name pulvillus means "little cushion."[5]
Description
Porania pulvillus is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) in diameter. The aboral surface (top) is usually bright red but may be purple, orange or yellow. It has white/yellowish spots and bands that radiate from the centre, and smooth greasy skin.[6] The madreporite is in the centre.[7] P. pulvillus has translucent soft papillae that act as gills. The oral surface (underside) is pale. This sea star has five short, broad arms. Each arm has two rows of small ossicles on either side. It has no pedicellariae.[8]
Distribution
Found in the waters off Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, New England and Newfoundland.[8]
Environment
Porania pulvillus is sublittoral, typically living at 10–300 m (33–984 ft) depth, but some at up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[2][8]
Behaviour
Porania pulvillus produces brachiolaria larvae in spring. It is gonochoristic.[8]
It feeds on detritus and the soft coral Alcyonium digitatum.[8][9]
Gallery
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View of pores on oral surface -
Oral surface of the end of a leg -
Aboral surface of the end of a leg -
A red Porania pulvillus -
An orange Porania pulvillus -
View of spots on aboral surface
References
- ^ "Porania pulvillus, Red cushion starfish". www.sealifebase.ca.
- ^ a b "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Porania (Porania) pulvillus (O.F. Müller, 1776)". www.marinespecies.org.
- ^ "Porania (Porania) pulvillus pulvillus - (O.F. Müller, 1776)". eunis.eea.europa.eu.
- ^ Collected Papers from Mote Marine Laboratory. The Laboratory.
- ^ "Pulvillus". Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias.
- ^ "Porania pulvillus - Marine Life Encyclopedia". www.habitas.org.uk.
- ^ "description of Porania (Porania) pulvillus - Red cushion starfish". www.european-marine-life.org.
- ^ a b c d e "MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network - Red cushion star (Porania (Porania) pulvillus)". www.marlin.ac.uk.
- ^ "Sea Star - Porania pulvillus". www.seawater.no.
This page was last edited on 28 December 2023, at 19:45