eastern cape scuba diving
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| Scientific name: |
Patiriella exigua |
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| Common name: |
Dwarf cushion starfish |
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| Taxonomy |
| Phyulm |
Sub Phylum |
Class |
Sub Class |
Order |
Sub Order |
Family |
Sub Family |
Genus |
Species |
| Echinodermata |
Not Defined |
Asteroidea |
Not Defined |
Valvatida |
Not Defined |
Asterinidae |
Not Defined |
Patiriella |
Patiriella exigua |
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Short Description:
Tiny flattened petagonal starfish:arms poorly developed.Dorsal surface made up of tile-like plates,each with a cluster of knob-like spines.Uniformly khaki-green on the West coast:variegated patterns of orange,brown,green an white on the South-East coast
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Identification
features: |
It has five poorly developed arms with an almost pentagonal small body. |
| Size: |
1-20mm |
| Behaviour: |
Feeds by axtruding the stomac throuch the mouthand plastering it onto the rock to digest pray |
| Diet: |
Microscopic algae |
| Distribution: |
Troughout South Africa |
| Depth: |
1-3m |
| Habitat: |
It can be found in temperate intertidal marine communities
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| Reference: |
Two Oceans
(A guide to the marine life of Southern Africa)
GM Branch;CL Griffiths;ML Branch;LE Beckley |
| Similar Species: |
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Database Statistics
(Click on the links for more information) |
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eastern cape scuba diving
