These stars have a very rough spiny upper surface. They usually have about eleven long arms. As they grow they change colour, small stars are green to blue-grey while bigger ones are beige to orange.

They are found from low tide down to about 75m deep.

They have voracious appetites and will eat almost anything including; shellfish and kina.

They can live for ten years, and can move surprisingly quickly. Broadcast spawn but can reproduce asexually.

Gordon D. P. (ed) (2009) NZ Inventory of Biodiversity; Vol 1 Kingdom Animalia. Canterbury University Press.