species: Cistina columbiae in taxonomy (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Cistina columbiae


©Anne Hoggett: Cistina columbiae at Lizard Island at night, 21 November 2005.

©Alexander Semenov: Cistina columbiae spawning at night at Big Vicki's Reef, Lizard Island.

©Alexander Semenov: Magnified image showing white terminal arm plate of Cistina columbiae spawning at night at Big Vick's Reef, Lizard Island.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Valvatida
Family Ophidiasteridae
Genus Cistina
Species Cistina columbiae

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

The first record of Cistina columbiae from Lizard Island is from the first photo above. It was tentatively identified as such by Loisette Marsh (Western Australian Museum) due to the size, the apparent presence of spines along the arms and colour pattern.

Size

  • Up to 7 cm (longest radius)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.
  • Coleman, N. (2007). Sea Stars: Echinoderms of the Asia/Indo-Pacific Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic, Springwood, Qld. Australia.
  • Marsh, L.M. and J. Fromont (2020). Field Guide to shallow water seastars of Australia. Western Australian Museum, Perth.
  • View all references