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Sea Star, Ambush

Stegnaster inflatus

Invertebrate

Echinodermata

Asteroidea

Asterinidae

Rocky Reef Subtidal
Rocky Reef Subtidal

Feeding:
Predator
Predator
Distribution:
New Zealand
New Zealand
Edibility:
Inedible
Inedible
Size:
Hand Sized
Hand Sized



5 short webbed arms. Upper surface bright orange mottled with brown.


Subtidal, rocky reefs.


A predator with an unsual method of prey capture. It stands on the ends of the arms, arching the "body" away from the rocks. When a suitable prey item crawls into the "cave" thus formed, the seastar ambushes it by dropping onto it!