Description: This starfish has five gently tapering arms and is sand coloured. The body and arms have a velvety texture and there is a conspicuous band of long white spines along the edges of the arms. These spines arise in vertical series of three, rarely four on the single row of marginal plates. Up to 20cm across.

Habitat: Usually found on muddy sediment, in deeper water (20m+). Most active at night, burying itself beneath the sand by day.

Distribution: A more northerly distribution than Luidia ciliaris, occurring from Norway to the Mediterranean but in deep colder water in the south.

Similar Species: Luidia ciliaris is very similar but has seven arms.

Key Identification Features:

• Velvety texture to body.
• Long marginal spines on arms in groups of three.

Distribution Map from NBN: Luidia sarsii at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Luidia sarsii at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Luidia sarsii at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Luidia sarsii Düben & Koren in Düben, 1844. AphiaID: 123922.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asterozoa; Asteroidea; Ambuloasteroidea; Neoasteroidea; Valvatacea; Paxillosida; Luidiidae; Luidia