Seventy Ninth Discovery Posting:
I believe that nature lovers share a common reaction of being overly excited when seeing something that you have only seen before in books or encountering something you have never seen or came across before.
This evening, over at Semakau, I belonged to the second group: I encountered something which I have NEVER seen or came across before. Therefore, I was really excited!
What was this 'thing' that cause this reaction from me? It's a sea star!
Pictures of it is found below:
I have never came across this seastar in the little books about seastars I read or seen...Another photo of it (below):
Could it be a knobbly sea star because of its knobs?Or could it be another kind of Pentaceraster sea star?
A wild guess might be a cushion star as its pattern close up really looks like a cusion star's...
A closer look... (picture below)
Can this mean another new discovery for Singapore? Wow! It would be great! Can anyone help to ID this 'new discovery' of mine?The underside of the seastar (picture below):
Just to clarify, this seastar was not spotted by me, but by ST, so if this was a NEW species, there might be a possibility that it would be named after him! =P
Just to clarify, this seastar was not spotted by me, but by ST, so if this was a NEW species, there might be a possibility that it would be named after him! =PAfter looking a little (really a little) online, this could be a knobbly sea star.
Refer to http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/protoreaster.htm
Scroll all the way down to the bottom right picture... hmmm...
Refer to http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/protoreaster.htm
Scroll all the way down to the bottom right picture... hmmm...
But there still lies a possiblitiy that this might be a new find for Singapore!!!
Extra information:
a) See photos of the Pentaceraster Sea Star: http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/pentaceraster.htm
b) See photos of some cushion stars: http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/culcita.htm
Extra Links:
a) Read ST's blog entry on this very same star!
b) Read Tidechaser's blog entry on this walk.
2 comments:
What a great find!
Yes, it sure makes us wonder what it might be. And to take a closer look at some of our stars.
I've uploaded more photos on wildfacts of the undersides of Protoreaster and Culcita showing some of the small features.
Hope this is helpful.
Looking forward to hearing more about this new star.
Thanks Ria!
The pictures are very helpful.
And after looking at them. I still don't find the 'new' seastar looking like any of them.
But rather a mixture of knobbly, Pentaceraster and Cushion. haha
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