Beautiful feather star
Himerometra robustipinna
Many-rayed feather star
Capillaster multiradiatus
About
The many-rayed feather star is a tropical feather star of Indo-Pacific coral reefs, from the Red Sea to Australia.
Also known as: capillaster multiradiatus
- Length
- 30 cm
- Depth
- up to 300 m
How to tell it apart
Look for a feather star with 10 to 30 arms, usually with black pinnules, sitting exposed on top of corals. In the Pacific the very similar Clarkcomanthus luteofuscum has yellow pinnule tips.
Appearance
It has 10 to 30 fairly supple arms. The pinnules are most often black, but not always, and the arm segments are sometimes a different colour from the pinnules. About ten long, clearly visible cirri are often covered in growths that give them a grey tint.
Habitat
Coral reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, including the Maldives, to Australia, New Caledonia and the Philippines, from the surface to 300 m. It lives fairly exposed on top of corals in shallow water and can be fairly common.
Behaviour
It is mostly nocturnal but is sometimes seen in full daylight. It uses its cirri to hold on or to move when needed.
Did you know?
It can curl up its arms to close itself almost like a fist.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
