ASTEROIDEA 



1. Luidia Sarsi Diiben and Koren. (Fig. 39, h.) 



(Syn. Luidia paucispina v. Marenz. ; Astrella simplex 

 Perrier.) 



Five gently tapering arms. Four transverse series of lateral 

 paxillae corresponding to each two marginal paxillae. Across the 

 dorsal side of arm ca. 15-20 median paxillse. Lower marginals 

 with 3, rarely 4, spines. Papulae with few lobes ; they are lacking 

 in the middle of the disk and along the middle of the arms. 

 Pedicellarise, generally only bivalved, are found on the under side. 

 R = 6-10 r. Colour reddish-brown, with darker transverse bands 

 along the sides of rays. Grows to a size of ca. 17 cm. R. 



It is a ver}^ voracious animal, feeding mainly on echinoderms. 



Fig. 39. — a, Luidia ciliaris ; b, L. Sarsi. Somewhat reduced. (After 

 Koehler ; from Danniark' s Fauna.) 



especially brittle-stars ; but polychseta, molluscs, and crustaceans 

 are also often found in its stomach contents. It seems 

 to i^refer a muddy bottom. The breeding season is mainly in 

 winter, the larvae being found in Sej)tember-May, apparently in 

 greatest numbers about December. The larvae mav sometimes 

 occur in great abundance. 



In British seas this species is distributed probably all round 

 the coasts, at least from the Eddystone grounds round the west 

 and north coasts down to the southern parts of the North Sea. 

 Otherwise it occurs from the Trondhjemsfjord on the Norwegian 

 coast down to the Cape Verde Islands ; occurs also in the 

 Mediterranean. It is recorded from depths of ca. 10-1300 m., 

 but appears to be more rare beyond depths of ca. 600 m. 



