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Porania pulvillus
Species of sea star From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Porania pulvillus, also called the red cushion star or red cushion starfish, is a species of sea star in the family Poraniidae.[1][2][3][4] The specific name pulvillus means "little cushion."[5]
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Description
Porania pulvillus is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) in diameter. The aboral surface (top) is usually bright red but may be purple, orange or yellow. It has white/yellowish spots and bands that radiate from the centre, and smooth greasy skin.[6] The madreporite is in the centre.[4] P. pulvillus has translucent soft papillae that act as gills. The oral surface (underside) is pale. This sea star has five short, broad arms. Each arm has two rows of small ossicles on either side. It has no pedicellariae.[3]
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Subspecies
There are two subspecies:[2]
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus pulvillus (O.F. Müller, 1776)
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus insignis Verrill, 1895
Distribution
It is widely distributed in the northern Atlantic Ocean,[1][2] including the waters off Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, New England and Newfoundland.[3]
Environment
Porania pulvillus is sublittoral, typically living at 10–300 m (33–984 ft) depth, but some at up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[3]
Behaviour
Porania pulvillus produces brachiolaria larvae in spring. It is gonochoristic.[3]
It feeds on detritus and the soft coral Alcyonium digitatum.[3][7]
Gallery
View of pores on oral surface
Oral surface of the end of a leg
Aboral surface of the end of a leg
A red Porania pulvillus
An orange Porania pulvillus
View of spots on aboral surface
References
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