Anseropoda placenta

Anseropoda placenta, also called the goose foot starfish,[2] is a species of sea star in the family Asterinidae.[3]

Anseropoda placenta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Asterinidae
Genus: Anseropoda
Species:
A. placenta
Binomial name
Anseropoda placenta
Pennant, 1777
Synonyms[1]
  • Anseropoda membranacea Nardo, 1834
  • Anseropoda membranacea (Retzius, 1783)
  • Asterias cartilaginea Fleming, 1828
  • Asterias membranacea Retzius, 1783
  • Asterias palmipes Olivi, 1792
  • Asterias placenta Pennant, 1777
  • Asteriscus membranaceus (Retzius, 1783)
  • Asteriscus palmipes Müller & Troschel, 1842
  • Asteriscus placenta (Pennant, 1777)
  • Carna membranacea (Retzius, 1783)
  • Palmipes membranaceus (Retzius, 1783)

Description

Anseropoda placenta is up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter. It's a very thin, leaflike, flat sea star with short webbed arms. Its specific name placenta refers to a kind of flat cake. The aboral surface (top) has a texture of small plates; it is white with five radiating red lines, one down the centre of each arm.[4]

Distribution

Most common in the Irish Sea and English Channel, and is more rarely found off Scotland.[5] It is in rapid decline in Northern Ireland due to bottom fishing.[6]

Environment

Anseropoda placenta is sublittoral, typically living at 20–40 m (66–131 ft) depth, in muddy sand or muddy gravel; it has been found as deep as 500 m (1,600 ft).[4][7]

Behaviour

Anseropoda placenta produces large eggs in the summer.[5] It feeds on benthic molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms.[7]

  • Aboral (upper) surface
    Aboral (upper) surface
  • Oral surface (underside)
    Oral surface (underside)
  • Illustration
    Illustration
  • Depicted on an Albanian stamp
    Depicted on an Albanian stamp

References
  1. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Anseropoda placenta (Pennant, 1777)". www.marinespecies.org.
  2. "Anseropoda placenta : Goose foot starfish | NBN Atlas". species.nbnatlas.org.
  3. "Anseropoda placenta - Detail - Biodiversity Maps". maps.biodiversityireland.ie.
  4. "Anseropoda placenta - Marine Life Encyclopedia". www.habitas.org.uk.
  5. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Anseropoda placenta (Pennant, 1777)". www.marinespecies.org.
  6. "Anseropoda placenta Goosefoot starfish :: Northern Ireland's Priority Species ::". www.habitas.org.uk.
  7. "MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network - Goose foot starfish (Anseropoda placenta)". www.marlin.ac.uk.
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