Introduced Marine Aquatic Invaders - a field guide

Introducted Marine Species - Northern Pacific

Asterias amurensis

Northern Pacific Seastar - Asterias amurensis Photo: CSIRO Marine Research

Australia Invasion

Tasmania and Victoria

Habitat

• subtidal to a depth of about 200 metres
• found on all subtidal surfaces
• not found in exposed, high wave energy area.

ID Features

• five broad arms with upturned pointed ends
• spines on upper surface are pointed and irregularly arranged down arms
• spines in grooves on underside of arms have rough tips
• diameter 40 to 50 cm (from tip to tip)
• main colour ranges from yellow through to orange, often with purple markings

More information

More detailed information on this Marine Invader is available here.

...More Information on this Invader

Uniophora dyscrita Photo: EP Hodgkin/ WA Museum

Similar Native Marine Species

Uniophora dyscrita

• prefers rocky bottoms and seagrass beds, but sometimes found on mud or sand in sheltered waters
• five bluntly pointed arms that are often constricted at their bases
• spines on upper surface are usually blunt, knobbed and arranged in a zigzag line down centres of arms
• diameter 20 cm (from tip to tip)*
• colour ranges from beige, red or orange through to olive green, but never purple*
• spines in grooves on underside of arms have smooth tips

* distinguishing feature