Astropecten aranciacus is a starfish from the family Astropectinidae [1] . It lives in the Atlantic Ocean from Portugal to Angola and the Mediterranean Sea [1] .
| Astropecten aranciacus | ||||||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
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| Astropecten aranciacus Linnaeus , 1758 |
Description
The diameter of starfish of this species in the Mediterranean Sea , where they are the largest among all Astropecten representatives, reaches 55 centimeters , although more often it is about 30. Representatives of this species are easily distinguishable from others in color and size, but they are sometimes confused with .
Behavior
It prefers coastal waters and depths from 2 to 100 meters . It lives on the bottom covered with sand, gravel or mud. Active in the afternoon and at night.
Nutrition
This starfish is a predator and feeds on mollusks .
Notes
- β 1 2 Species of Astropecten aranciacus (English) in the World Register of Marine Species . (Retrieved December 30, 2010) .