General Description
Body smooth with a velvet-like surface. Disc and arms deep red or mottled red and orange. Transparent sacs (papulae) usually visible across the surface. Five arms. Centre to arm tip up to 8 cm.
Biology
Velvet Seastars feed on sponges, ascidians and lace corals. The sacs on the surface of their body are used to exchange gases into and out of the water.
Distribution
Pacific Islands. Southern Australian coasts.
Habitat
Subtidal rocky reefs among rocks and algae, to a depth of 60 m.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Red, 5 arms, velvet surface.
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Colours
Red, Orange
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Diet Categories
Sponge, Encrusting Invertebrates, Invertebrates
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Depths
Deep ( > 30 m)
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Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Lamarck, 1816)
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Common Name
Velvet Seastar
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Other Names
Seastar
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Superorder
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
vernicina
