Jun 23, 2021
Cushion sea star (Meridiastra calcar)
Photo by Robyn Waayers
seen from United States
seen from Australia
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Russia
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Maldives
seen from China
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Malaysia
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Finland
Cushion sea star (Meridiastra calcar)
Photo by Robyn Waayers
#2527 - Meridiastra mortenseni
Another endemic NZ Asterinid, described as Patiriella mortenseni in 2002, 77 years after T. Mortensen first noticed it wasn't Patiriella regularis. Two years after that genetic evidence got it moved to Meridiastra anyway.
Less tolerant of low salinity than P. regularis. This is most relevent in Fiordland, where a layer of fresher water melting off the glaciers overlays the fully saline deeper water in Milford and Doubtful Sounds.
Miramar Peninsula, Wellington, New Zealand