Asterias rubens

Overview

Usually five tapering arms surround a small disc. Colours range from orange to violet; papulae and grasping pedicellariae occur among scattered spines.

Its recorded diet includes bivalves, worms, small crustaceans, other echinoderms and carrion. The museum account notes it can be prominent on mussel beds and soft sediment and can tolerate brackish conditions.

Growth varies greatly with food supply, and damaged individuals can regrow arms. Specimens from exposed sites are commonly smaller than those from sheltered settings, so size alone cannot indicate age.

Origins & earliest records

The Linnaeus 1758 attribution records scientific naming, not evolutionary origin; original type material was not examined for this profile.

Evidence & interpretation

Based on the MarLIN species account and a National Museums NI marine species account citing Picton and Morrow 2016.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Common starfish (Asterias rubens)

   · 2008

   Selected bibliography; MarLIN species account for form, diet, habitat and classification.

2. 02

   Asterias rubens Linnaeus, 1758

   Picton and Morrow · 2016

   Selected bibliography; museum species account for spination, habitat and size variation.

Family, evolution & connections

Taxonomic classification

A hierarchy of classified groups, not a chain of direct ancestors.

Source note: Only family and species placement given in the sources are recorded; higher ranks were not established from the packet.

1. FamilyAsteriidae
2. SpeciesAsterias rubens Linnaeus, 1758

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Institutional species accountCommon starfish (Asterias rubens)Research access: 2026-10-07
2. Museum species accountAsterias rubens Linnaeus, 1758Research access: 2026-10-07

Image credits

A black silhouette of a five-armed starfish viewed from above, with uneven tapering arms.

Attributed silhouette illustration labelled Asterias rubens by the source; it shows an outline, without colour or diagnostic detail.