Luidia longispina Sladen 1889

Yiu, Sam King Fung & Mah, Christopher L., 2024, New Ecological Observations and Occurrence for Asteroidea and Echinoidea in Hong Kong, Zootaxa 5526 (1), pp. 1-69 : 46

Luidia longispina Sladen 1889

FIGURE 34

Comments

This species was identified based on the elongate inferomarginal spines forming the fringe around the animal’s periphery. It was observed at 12 m depth on sandy substratum. Chiu et al. (1983) reported that 90% of this species’ diet was mollusks, primarily the semelid bivalve Theora lata . They also reported that this and another five-rayed Hong Kong species, Luidia hardwicki , could adopt either a selective or an opportunistic feeding strategy in response to both composition and abundance.

Occurrence/Distribution

Hong Kong, 12 m.

Outside Hong Kong. Southern China, Philippines, Singapore, 12– 36 m.

Figures

FIGURE 34. Luidia longispina In situ observation, abactinal surface. Photographer: Sam King Fung Yiu.