Bollonaster pectinatus

Scientific name: Bollonaster pectinatus
  • Author(s)
    Jen Cork
  • Updated
    18/12/20
  • Read time
    2 minutes
J. 13881 Astropecten petinatus Click to enlarge image
J. 13881 Astropecten petinatus Image: Stephen Keeble
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Bollonaster
    Species
    pectinatus
  • Size Range
    Width 60 mm

Identification:

Flattened with five relatively straight sided arms tapering to acute points giving a distinct star shape. The arms are fringed with a comb-like array of sharp spines along the length of their margin. Superomarginal plate spines relatively small; inferomarginal spines subequal, in clusters of three to five. Aboral surface pale pink.

Distribution:

Temperate inshore and continental shelf areas, from Crowdy Head, NSW, south to Tasmania and west to City Beach, WA. Depth range 9-280 m.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Australian Museum registration database records for the Sydney region:

Port Jackson; 37 km east of Port Jackson; off Coogee; Malabar; east of Malabar. 1.5km off Botany Bay; east of Cronulla; Jibbon, near Conulla; Port Hacking (Gunnamatta Bay; Shiprock near Caringbah). Depth range 42-366 m.

Habitat:

Sand, silt.

Taxonomic information - synonyms and type material:

Astropecten pectinatus Sladen, 1883: 251.
Type data: syntypes BMNH 1890.5.7.220-4.
Type locality: Port Jackson, NSW, Bass Strait, Port Phillip, VIC, and South Australia.

Astropecten schayeri Döderlein, 1917: 46, 60, pls 1(1), 7(1-1c).
Type data: holotype ZMB 802.
Type locality: Tasmania.

Astropecten syntomus Clark, 1928: 372, fig. 110.
Type data: holotype SAMA K45.
Type locality: not stated, presumably SA.

J. 13881 Astropecten petinatus

Bollonaster pectinatus

Image: Stephen Keeble
© Australian Museum

Links for further information:

Atlas of Living Australia

Additional references:

Clark (1946) (also as Astropecten schayeri, Astropecten syntomus); John (1948) (as Astropecten pectinatus); Shepherd (1968) (as Astropecten pectinatus); Edgar (1997).