| Leptasterias aequalis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Forcipulatida |
| Family: | Asteriidae |
| Genus: | Leptasterias |
| Species: | L. aequalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptasterias aequalis (Stimpson, 1862) | |
Leptasterias aequalis, common names little six-rayed seastar or six-armed star, is a species of starfish.
This is a small species, with a total width of only about 5 centimetres (2.0 in). The coloration is extremely variable.
This seastar is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean,[1] from Washington[2] to Southern California. It lives on rocky shores, in the mid-intertidal zone.
Many sea-stars broadcast-spawn their embryos, where fertilization occurs in the water column; however, Leptasterias species brood their embryos locally. The stars form mating aggregations and the female sits on her brood for a period of 6–8 weeks while the embryos develop underneath. Eventually, the embryos fully metamorphose into juvenile sea-stars and walk away, and thus can only locally disperse. Larger females produce larger embryos of great quality; however, as larger broods are produced, a considerable proportion of them are lost.[3]
References
- ↑ "The Pacific Ocean—facts and information". Environment. 2019-03-04. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ↑ "Washington | State Capital, Map, History, Cities, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ↑ Bingham, Brian (2004). "Variability in broods of the seastar Leptasterias aequalis". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 82 (3): 457–463. doi:10.1139/z04-009.
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