Oreaster reticulatus (reticulated starfish) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 1

Description:

Description: Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) - reticulated starfish on shallow subtidal estuarine seafloor. Most starfish are distinctively pentaradial, with five arms. Numerous tube feet occur in the ambulacral grooves running down the axis of each arm's underside. Most starfish are predatory and consume prey by everting their stomachs through their mouths (center structure on underside) and digest food externally. Oreaster reticulatus is predatory on a variety of invertebrates and is also a deposit feeder. Adult reticulated starfish are orangish red to red colored. Juveniles are greenish-gray colored. Classification: Animalia, Echinodermata, Asteroidea, Valvatida, Oreasteridae Locality: South Pigeon Creek estuary, southeastern San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas. Date: 6 January 2008, 08:10. Source: Oreaster reticulatus (reticulated starfish) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 1. Author: James St. John.