Seastar Luidia maculata
Identification:
Eight arms tapering to a point; aboral surface covered with square or polygonal plates, yellow or buff coloured to dark green; tube feet ending in a rounded knob rather than a sucker.
Distribution:
Tropical inshore and continental shelf areas from Port Molle, Qld, to Houtman Abrolhos, WA; Indo-west Pacific Ocean. Depth range 0-134 m.
Australian Museum registration database records for the Sydney region:
No records from the Sydney area but records from the New South Wales coast and known general distribution suggest it could occur.
Taxonomic information - synonyms and type material:
Luidia maculata Müller & Troschel, 1842: 77.
Type data: syntypes RMNH 539 2 specimens.
Type locality: Japan.
Links for further information:
World Register of Marine Species
Additional references:
Clark (1946); Clark & Rowe (1971); Rowe & Gates (1995).