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| Stichaster australis | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Forcipulatida |
| Family: | Stichasteridae |
| Genus: | Stichaster |
| Species: | S. australis
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| Binomial name | |
| Stichaster australis (Verrill, 1871)
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Stichaster australis, the reef starfish, is a species of starfish found in the shallow waters of the rocky intertidal of New Zealand. Typically, the animal is endemic to the west coast shores of the North and South Islands, where wave action is increased. They do not usually inhabit ecosystems that have reduced wave action and calm conditions as they prefer a higher-energy environment. These marine invertebrates range in color from pink to purple, but can also be orange.[1] They typically have eleven arms, but sometimes they may have either ten or twelve.[2] As full-grown adults, they are 8 to 10 cm in diameter.
- ^ Miller, Michael; Batt, Gary (1 January 1973). Reef and Beach Life of New Zealand. Collins. p. 25.
- ^ Barker, M.F. (1978). "DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LARVAE OF STICHASTER AUSTRALIS (VERRILL) AND COSCINASTERIAS CALAMARIA (GRAY) (ECHINODERMATA: ASTEROIDEA) FROM NEW ZEALAND, OBTAINED FROM LABORATORY CULTURE". The Biological Bulletin. 154 (1): 32–46. doi:10.2307/1540772. JSTOR 1540772. PMID 29323957.