Luidia magellanica
Luidia magellanica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Echinodermata |
Class: | Asteroidea |
Order: | Paxillosida |
Family: | Luidiidae |
Genus: | Luidia |
Species: | L. magellanica
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Binomial name | |
Luidia magellanica Leipoldt, 1895[1]
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Synonyms[1] | |
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Luidia magellanica is a species of
Distribution and habitat
Luidia magellanica occurs subtidally in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, on the coasts of Peru and Chile. Its typical habitat is on rock bottoms with encrusting red algae, Lithophyllum, or soft sediments composed of coarse sand and shell fragments.[2]
Ecology
Luidia magellanica is a large and aggressive specialist predator of other echinoderms. Its diet includes brittle stars such as Ophiactis, sea urchins such as Tetrapygus niger and starfish such as Patiria.[3] In the subtidal zone of temperate Chile it feeds on eight different species of echinoderm, and with Meyenaster gelatinosus is the dominant predator. Many of the starfish in this zone have missing or regenerating arms, and this is likely to be as a result of a near-lethal encounter with either L. magellanica or M. gelatinosus. Both of these species also exhibit cannibalism.[4] When attacked by M. gelatinosus or by a larger member of its own species, L. magellanica tends to autotomise some 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2.0 in) of a single arm. In a study off the coast of Chile, between 50 and 70% of individual L. magellanica were found to have regenerating arms.[5]
Other species of starfish recorded in the same zone in the cold waters off Peru are
References
- ^ a b Mah, Christopher (2018). Mah CL (ed.). "Luidia magellanica Leipoldt, 1895". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0787-6.
- ISBN 978-90-6191-080-0.
- ISBN 978-90-6191-080-0.
- ISBN 978-90-5410-049-2.
- .
- ISBN 978-1-4200-5094-3.