Name: Spiny starfish
Scientific Name: Marthasterias glacialis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Asteriidae
Group: Sea-stars, sea-urchins and sea-cucumbers
Class: Invertebrates
Size: 26-50 cm.
With an arm span of up to 70 centimetres, this is one of the largest starfish in European waters. It is a voracious predator that feeds on mussels and oysters. To open the tightly closed valves of these creatures, the starfish uses its ambulacral feet, which cover the lower part of its body (oral face). These resemble suckers and are also used for moving. After opening its prey's valves, the starfish expands its stomach and the enzymes to digest it. Finally, it sucks its already digested food! This species may found in rocky areas up to 50 metres deep.
Photo by:
ciencies.udg.es
North Atlantic
Temperate Pacific
