Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, Australien
Info
Livingston’s original description indicates a radius (R) of 6.3 cm, since “R” refers to the radius of the starfish, measured from the oral disc to the tips of the arms.
The measurement “r” refers to the distance from the center of the oral disc (center of the starfish) to the edge of the interradial region (the “indentation” between two arms).
A photo of a specimen on a woman’s hand can be viewed here, and the size indication is roughly accurate:
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/b3b2149b-0a15-4254-ac87-d00146f11f6d
Otherwise, unfortunately, no usable size information is available; we will contact Dr. Anne Hogget at the Australian Museum to obtain more precise data.
Dr. Anne Hogget kindly provided us with the following information on April 2, 2026:
Hello Andreas,
this species is not uncommon in the northern Great Barrier Reef. The adult animals are visible during the day. I have never seen a juvenile, although I have often searched under rubble for hidden invertebrates. The long radius is about 10 cm and the disc diameter about 12 mm.
Best regards,
Anne
Detailed information on the species’ diet is currently unknown; it can be assumed that Nardoa mamillifera prefers a diet similar to that of other starfish.
The measurement “r” refers to the distance from the center of the oral disc (center of the starfish) to the edge of the interradial region (the “indentation” between two arms).
A photo of a specimen on a woman’s hand can be viewed here, and the size indication is roughly accurate:
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/b3b2149b-0a15-4254-ac87-d00146f11f6d
Otherwise, unfortunately, no usable size information is available; we will contact Dr. Anne Hogget at the Australian Museum to obtain more precise data.
Dr. Anne Hogget kindly provided us with the following information on April 2, 2026:
Hello Andreas,
this species is not uncommon in the northern Great Barrier Reef. The adult animals are visible during the day. I have never seen a juvenile, although I have often searched under rubble for hidden invertebrates. The long radius is about 10 cm and the disc diameter about 12 mm.
Best regards,
Anne
Detailed information on the species’ diet is currently unknown; it can be assumed that Nardoa mamillifera prefers a diet similar to that of other starfish.
