| Acodontaster conspicuus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Valvatida |
| Family: | Odontasteridae |
| Genus: | Acodontaster |
| Species: | A. conspicuus |
| Binomial name | |
| Acodontaster conspicuus (Koehler, 1920) [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Acodontaster conspicuus is a species of starfish in the family Odontasteridae. It is found in the Southern Ocean, in the waters off Antarctica and the island groups nearby. [1]
Acodontaster conspicuus grows to about 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. It has 5 arms and the body has a cushion-like appearance, being thick except around the margins where there is a thin flat area. The upper surface has radially arranged granulations. The colour varies but is usually orange or brown. [2]
Acodontaster conspicuus is found in the cold seas around Antarctica, including the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia, at depths down to 750 metres. [2]
Acodontaster conspicuus feeds on sponges, including the fast-growing species Mycale acerata , which might dominate the Antarctic marine ecosystem if not kept under control. Acodontaster conspicuus is itself eaten by the proboscis worm, Parborlasia corrugata , and by the much smaller starfish, Odontaster validus , which hunt in packs. [2]
In physical geography, tundra is a type of biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sámi word тӯндар meaning "uplands", "treeless mountain tract". Tundra vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges and grasses, mosses, and lichens. Scattered trees grow in some tundra regions. The ecotone between the tundra and the forest is known as the tree line or timberline. The tundra soil is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus.
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Luidia is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution.
Odontaster validus is a species of sea star in the family Odontasteridae. Its range includes the Southern Ocean and the seas around the mainland and islands of Antarctica.
Acodontaster is a genus of starfish in the family Odontasteridae. Members of the genus are found in the Southern Ocean, in the waters off Antarctica and the island groups nearby. Acodontaster elongatus is additionally found further north in the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern seaboard of South America.
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Sterechinus neumayeri, the Antarctic sea urchin, is a species of sea urchin in the family Echinidae. It is found living on the seabed in the waters around Antarctica. It has been used as a model organism in the fields of reproductive biology, embryology, ecology, physiology and toxicology.
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Anasterias is a genus of starfish in the family Asteriidae.
Katrin Linse is a German marine biologist, best known for her work on discovering new Antarctic and deep sea species.
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