Seastars of South Australia

Seastar

According to the Atlas of Living Australia, at least 48 species of sea stars have been recorded in South Australian waters.

As of 20 June 2019, photographs of 29 of these species can be found in the Seastars of South Australia project on iNaturalist.

Genus Species Common name Described
Allostichaster polyplax Seastar 1844, Müller & Troschel
Anthaster valvulatus 1843, Müller & Troschel
Aquilonastra scobinata Seastar 1933, Livingstone
Astropecten priessi 1843, Müller & Troschel
Astropecten triseriatus Starfish 1843, Müller & Troschel
Astropecten vappa 1843, Müller & Troschel
Bollonaster pectinatus 1883, Sladen
Ceramaster patagonicus 1889, Sladen
Coscinasterias calamaria 1840, Gray
Coscinasterias muricata Eleven-armed seastar 1867, Verrill
Echinaster arcystatus 1914, H.L. Clark
Echinaster glomeratus 1916, H.L. Clark
Fromia polypora 1916, H.L. Clark
Henricia compacta 1889, Sladen
Luidia australiae 1920, Döderlein
Mediaster australiensis Starfish 1916, H. L. Clark
Meridiastra atyphoida Seastar 1916, H. L. Clark
Meridiastra calcar Eight-armed cushion star 1816, Lamarck
Meridiastra fissura Seastar 2002, O’Loughlin
Meridiastra gunnii Seastar 1840, Gray
Meridiastra medius Seastar 2003, O’Loughlin, Waters & Roy
Meridiastra nigranota 2002, O’Loughlin
Meridiastra occidens Seastar 2003, O’Loughlin, Waters & Roy
Meridiastra oriens Seastar 2003, O’Loughlin, Waters & Roy
Nectria macrobrachia Seastar 1923, H. L. Clark
Nectria multispina Seastar 1928, H. L. Clark
Nectria ocellata Seastar 1876, Perrier
Nectria pedicelligera Seastar 1925, Mortensen
Nectria saoria 1967, Shepherd
Nectria wilsoni 1965, Shepherd & Hodgkin
Paranepanthia grandis Seastar 1928, Clark
Parvulastra exigua Dwarf cushion star 1816, Lamarck
Parvulastra parvivipara 1978, Keough & Dartnall
Pentagonaster duebeni Vermillion seastar 1847, Gray
Petricia vernicina Velvet seastar 1816, Lamarck
Plectaster decanus Mosaic seastar 1843, Müller & Troschel
Pseudonepanthia troughtoni Seastar 1934, Livingstone
Pseudophidiaster rhysus Starfish 1916, H.L. Clark
Psilaster acuminatus 1889, Sladen
Sclerasterias dubia 1909, H.L. Clark
Smilasterias irregularis Seastar 1928, H. L. Clark
Stellaster equestris 1805, Retzius
Tosia australis Biscuit star 1840, Gray
Tosia magnifica Magnificent biscuit star 1842, Müller & Troschel
Tosia neossia Biscuit star 2009, Naughton & O’Hara
Uniophora granifera Five-armed seastar 1816, Lamarck
Uniophora nuda 1875, Perrier
Zoroaster macracantha 1916, H.L. Clark

Revision log

  • 4 December 2017 – Dan Monceaux (completed ALA links and expanded list with multiple genera)
  • 20 June 2019 – Dan Monceaux (added sentence about iNat observations and outbound link)
2 thought on “Seastars of South Australia”
  1. Hello, Recently starfish have started appearing on the lakes edge at semaphore park. I have lived in the area 6 years and have not observed them until the last month or so. Today spotted twelve in around 100 metres. I am wondering if they are an invasive species that should be reported, I have a photograph but do not know who to approach? Cheers, jerusha

    1. Hi Jerusha, thanks for reporting your sightings to us. It is not unusual to find starfish in the lake, but large numbers of them or the sudden appearance of certain species is of great interest. Would you please send us some of your photos for ID purposes? Cheers,Steve

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *