| Henricia pumila | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Spinulosida |
| Family: | Echinasteridae |
| Genus: | Henricia |
| Species: | H. pumila |
| Binomial name | |
| Henricia pumila Eernisse, Strathmann & Strathmann, 2010 | |
Henricia pumila, commonly known as the dwarf mottled henricia, is a species of blood star, a starfish in the family Echinasteridae.
Previously considered conspecific with Henricia leviuscula, H. pumila was officially recognized as a separate species in 2010. [1] Its small adult size, external brooding method of reproduction, and details in its morphology, such as its mottled appearance, distinguish it from H. leviuscula.
Its specific epithet, pumila, comes from the Latin for "dwarf". [1]
H. pumila occurs in the cool, shallow waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging along the North American coast from near Sitka, Alaska, to Ensenada, Baja California. It is much less common in the Southern Californian stretch of its range, with only a handful of sightings along the coasts of the Channel Islands, Santa Barbara, and San Diego. H. pumila is often observed in the low intertidal, where it can be spotted in tide pools at low tide. [2]
The dwarf mottled henricia typically has five short, yet slender arms (also called rays) which evenly taper to a blunt tip. Four- or six-armed individuals may occur, but are rare. The aboral (dorsal) side of its body ranges from orange, reddish orange, or purplish red in color, mottled with pale orange, cream, or lavender—its oral (ventral) side is yellow or cream. Its aboral surface is dotted with pseudopaxillae (columnar skeletal plates which are topped with small spines) which bear brush-like clusters of crystalline spines, lending the dwarf mottled henricia a textured appearance. [1] Like other starfishes, H. pumila locomotes using tube feet.
The dwarf mottled henricia is a brooding species which has been observed brooding its young from January to April. It is assumed that H. pumila has distinct sexes, but it is possible it may display hermaphroditism in its tissues, as seen in some other brooding marine invertebrates. Once the eggs are shed through the oral gonopores, the brooding parent spirals its arms around a raised oral disc, under which the embryos are brooded until they emerge as free-crawling juveniles. [1]
Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish are also known as asteroids due to being in the class Asteroidea. About 1,900 species of starfish live on the seabed in all the world's oceans, from warm, tropical zones to frigid, polar regions. They are found from the intertidal zone down to abyssal depths, at 6,000 m (20,000 ft) below the surface.
Mediaster aequalis is a species of sea star in the family Goniasteridae. It is native to the west coast of North America, ranging from Alaska to California. It is found in various habitats including beaches during very low tides, and at depths down to about 500 m (1,600 ft). Also known as the vermilion sea star, it is the type species of the genus Mediaster and was first described in 1857 by the American zoologist William Stimpson.
The Echinasteridae are a family of starfish in the monotypic order Spinulosida. The family includes eight genera and about 133 species found on the seabed in various habitats around the world.
Solaster paxillatus, the orange sun star, is a species of starfish found at varying depths in the northern Pacific Ocean. It is a natural predator of the starfish Asterias amurensis.
Astropecten aranciacus, the red comb star, is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae. It is native to the east Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The common starfish, common sea star or sugar starfish is the most common and familiar starfish in the north-east Atlantic. Belonging to the family Asteriidae, it has five arms and usually grows to between 10–30 cm across, although larger specimens are known. The common starfish is usually orange or brownish in color, and sometimes violet; specimens found in deeper waters are pale. The common starfish is found on rocky and gravelly substrates where it feeds on mollusks and other benthic invertebrates.
Henricia leviuscula, commonly called the Pacific blood star, is a species of sea star found along the Pacific coast of North America.
Henricia is a large genus of slender-armed sea stars belonging to the family Echinasteridae. It contains about fifty species.
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The purple sunstar, northern sunstar, or smooth sun star, Solaster endeca, is a species of starfish in the family Solasteridae.
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Luidia senegalensis, the nine-armed sea star, is a tropical species of starfish in the family Luidiidae found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Anasterias rupicola is a species of starfish in the family Asteriidae. It is found in shallow waters in the Southern Ocean and sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean.
Orthasterias is a genus of sea stars in the family Asteriidae. Orthasterias koehleri, the rainbow star or red-banded sea star, is the only species in the genus. It is found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Pteraster tesselatus, the slime star or cushion star, is a species of starfish in the family Pterasteridae found in the North Pacific.
Trophodiscus almus is a species of starfish in the family Astropectinidae. It is found in fairly deep waters in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan and around the Japanese island of Hokkaido. It is very unusual among starfish in that it broods its young on its upper surface. Its common name in Japanese is "Komochi-momiji".
Henricia oculata, commonly known as the bloody Henry starfish, is a species of starfish in the family Echinasteridae. It is native to northwestern Europe. It was first described as Asterias oculata by the British zoologist Thomas Pennant in 1777, later being transferred to the genus Henricia.
Coscinasterias muricata is a species of starfish in the family Asteriidae. It is a large 11-armed starfish and occurs in shallow waters in the temperate western Indo-Pacific region.
Asterina pancerii, commonly known as the seagrass asterina, is a species of starfish in the family Asterinidae. It is native to shallow parts of the Mediterranean Sea where it is usually found in seagrass meadows.
Luidia savignyi is a species of starfish belonging to the family Luidiidae. The species is found in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific region. It is a large starfish and preys on other echinoderms.