Porania pulvillus, also called the red cushion star or red cushion starfish, is a species of sea star in the family Poraniidae.[1][2][3][4] The specific name pulvillus means "little cushion."[5]
| Porania pulvillus | |
|---|---|
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| Aboral and oral surfaces of P. pulvillus | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Valvatida |
| Family: | Poraniidae |
| Genus: | Porania |
| Species: | P. pulvillus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Porania pulvillus O.F. Müller, 1776
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
editPorania pulvillus is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) in diameter. The aboral surface (top) is usually bright red but may be purple, orange or yellow. It has white/yellowish spots and bands that radiate from the centre, and smooth greasy skin.[6] The madreporite is in the centre.[4] P. pulvillus has translucent soft papillae that act as gills. The oral surface (underside) is pale. This sea star has five short, broad arms. Each arm has two rows of small ossicles on either side. It has no pedicellariae.[3]
Subspecies
editThere are two subspecies:[2]
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus pulvillus (O.F. Müller, 1776)
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus insignis Verrill, 1895
Distribution
editIt is widely distributed in the northern Atlantic Ocean,[1][2] including the waters off Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, New England and Newfoundland.[3]
Environment
editPorania pulvillus is sublittoral, typically living at 10–300 m (33–984 ft) depth, but some at up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[3]
Behaviour
editPorania pulvillus produces brachiolaria larvae in spring. It is gonochoristic.[3]
It feeds on detritus and the soft coral Alcyonium digitatum.[3][7]
Gallery
edit-
View of pores on oral surface
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Oral surface of the end of a leg
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Aboral surface of the end of a leg
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A red Porania pulvillus
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An orange Porania pulvillus
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View of spots on aboral surface
References
edit- ^ a b c Palomares ML, Pauly D, eds. (2024). "Porania pulvillus" in SeaLifeBase. March 2024 version.
- ^ a b c d Mah CL, ed. (2024). "Porania (Porania) pulvillus (O.F. Müller, 1776)". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Red cushion star (Porania (Porania) pulvillus)". The Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN). Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 2007.
- ^ a b Bay-Nouailhat, A. (August 2008). "description of Porania (Porania) pulvillus - Red cushion starfish". www.european-marine-life.org.
- ^ "Pulvillus". Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias.
- ^ "Porania pulvillus - Marine Life Encyclopedia". www.habitas.org.uk.
- ^ "Sea Star - Porania pulvillus". www.seawater.no.