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Banded starfish
Luidia alternata
30.2737, -87.5486
Field Notes
Description:
The dorals side is charecterized by bands or blotchs of dark brown to black and white. They have five straplike arms fringed with slender spines. They appear fragile with the rows of paxillae irregularly arranged. The paxillae near the arm margins are larger than the midline and they hold a single long, pointed erect spine surrounded by small spinelets.
Habitat:
Spotted washed ashore on the beach at Alabama Point East - Gulf State Park. These sea stars occur in sandy and muddy sediment in 3-50 meters of water. Distribution:western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean sea.
Notes:
The most well-known behavior this sea star as well as others hold is its ability to regenerate severed or voluntarily automized arms. This form of regeneration is important for it can lead to asexual reproduction in the larvae stage.
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