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Seven armed starfish

Seven armed starfish by Paul Naylor

Seven armed starfish

Scientific name: Luidia ciliaris
Brittle stars, sea urchins and other starfish will want to stay out of the way of this speedy carnivorous starfish!

Species information

Statistics

Typically up to 40cm but can reach 60cm across

Conservation status

Common

When to see

April to October

About

The seven armed starfish likes to eat other starfish, brittle stars and urchins. Their seven arms allow them to move surprisingly quickly across the sea floor.

How to identify

Orange all over the body and seven arms. Arms are long, soft and only get thinner towards the tips. Obvious white spines run around the edge of each arm.

Distribution

Found around the UK except for South East England

Habitats

Did you know?

An adult seven armed starfish can produce over 200 million eggs in a year. Only a tiny fraction will likely survive.

How people can help

Always follow the Seashore Code when rockpooling, taking care where you walk and making sure you put animals and rocks back gently. Report any sightings to your local Wildlife Trust