Parvulastra exigua

Parvulastra exigua, or the dwarf cushion star^[2] is a species of sea star in the family Asterinidae.^[1] It can be found in temperate intertidal marine communities from geographically widespread sites around the southern hemisphere (including South Africa and Australia).^[2]

Parvulastra exigua
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Asteroidea
Order:	Valvatida
Family:	Asterinidae
Genus:	Parvulastra
Species:	P. exigua
Binomial name
Parvulastra exigua (Lamarck, 1816)
Synonyms[1]
Asterias exigua Lamarck, 1816 Asterias minuta de Blainville, 1834 Asterina exigua (Lamarck, 1816) Asteriscus krauss (Gray, 1840) Patiriella exigua (Lamarck, 1816)

Description

Parvulastra exigua has pentagonal body with no obvious protruding arms. Dorsal surface is tiled with a small cluster of spines at each tile. Colour is variegated, with bright patterns in orange, brown, green and white.^[2]

Distribution

Parvulastra exigua is found from Namibia to Mozambique on intertidal zones up to 3 m, on St Helena, St Paul, and southeastern Australia.^[2]

Natural history

Parvulastra exigua occurs in the intertidal zone and slightly deeper, and is well camouflaged. It feeds on microscopic algae by everting stomach onto substrate. No planktonic larval stage is present.^[2]