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Starfish of Southern Africa

A quick guide to our more common Starfish in southern Africa.

There at about 90 species of Starfish off southern Africa, but many are deep sea species. This guide focusses on the 35 most common shoreline species.
It does not include Brittlestars and Featherstars.

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Brooding Cushionstar 1
Pteraster capensis
Euretaster cribrosus 2
Brisingaster robillardi 3
Dividing Seastar 4
Allostichaster capensis
African Spiny Starfish 5
Marthasterias africana
Spiny Starfish 6
Marthasterias glacialis
Many-armed Starfish 4
Coscinasterias calamaria
Eleven-armed Seastar 7
Coscinasterias muricata
Reticulated Sea Star 8
Henricia ornata
Netted Starfish 4
Henricia reticulata
Speckled Sandstar 9
Luidia maculata
Grey Sandstar
Astropecten granulatus natalensis
Sand Starfish 4
Astropecten irregularis pontoporeus
Blocked Seastar 10
Fromia elegans
Indian Seastar 11
Fromia indica
Granular Seastar 4
Fromia schultzei
Cobbled Seastar 4
Calliaster baccatus
False Buttonstar 12
Ferdina mena
Namibian Cushionstar 13
Asterina stellifera
Granular Cushionstar 14
Parvulastra dyscrita
Dwarf Cushionstar 15
Parvulastra exigua
Beautiful Seastar 4
Callopatiria formosa
Red Seastar 4
Callopatiria granifera
Granulated Star 16
Choriaster granulatus
Regular Cushionstar 17
Halityle regularis
Beaded Starfish 14
Pentaceraster mammillatus
Spinetipped Star 2
Protoreaster lincki
Pincushion Cushionstar 18
Culcita schmideliana
Long-spined Crown-of-Thorns 19
Acanthaster planci
Button Star 20
Nardoa variolata
Guilding's Seastar 21
Linckia guildingi
Blue Star 22
Linckia laevigata
Spotted Star 23
Linckia multifora
Fat-armed Starfish 24
Thromidia catalai
Giant-arm Starfish 4
Thromidia gigas
Old Club Seastar 20
Mithrodia clavigera

Edited by Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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