Sealife guideThe Starfish classThe taxonomy of marine species
Explore the taxonomy of marine echinoderms with a dedicated focus on starfish and sea urchins !
The class Asteroidea, commonly known as starfish, includes more than 1,600 known species. These marine animals can reach over one meter in span with their arms fully extended and typically have five arms or a multiple of five, with the number potentially varying due to regeneration after an arm is lost. Their skeleton is made up of adjacent but not fused calcareous plates.

Blue spiny starfish
(Coscinasterias tenuispina)
(Coscinasterias tenuispina)

Purple sea star
(Pisaster ochraceus)
(Pisaster ochraceus)

Spiny starfish
(Marthasterias glacialis)
(Marthasterias glacialis)

Sunflower sea star
(Pycnopodia helianthoides)
(Pycnopodia helianthoides)

Mosaic sea star
(Plectaster decanus)
(Plectaster decanus)

Red starfish
(Echinaster sepositus)
(Echinaster sepositus)

Bat sea star
(Patiria miniata)
(Patiria miniata)

Biscuit sea star
(Peltaster placenta)
(Peltaster placenta)

Necklace sea star
(Fromia monilis)
(Fromia monilis)

Noduled sea star
(Fromia nodosa)
(Fromia nodosa)

Vermillion sea star
(Mediaster aequalis)
(Mediaster aequalis)

Heavy starfish
(Thromidia catalai)
(Thromidia catalai)

Blue sea star
(Linckia laevigata)
(Linckia laevigata)

Egyptian sea star
(Gomophia egyptiaca)
(Gomophia egyptiaca)

Smooth starfish
(Hacelia attenuata)
(Hacelia attenuata)

Chocolate chip sea star
(Nidorellia armata)
(Nidorellia armata)
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Batz island
Located in the English Channel off the northern coast of Brittany, just a few kilometers from the town of Roscoff, Batz island is a true little haven of peace where you can enjoy its wild landscapes, unspoiled beaches and historical heritage.

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The common sea fan
The common sea fan, is a type of soft coral found in the warm, shallow waters of the Caribbean and the western Atlantic ocean. It grows in wide, fan-shaped forms that sway gently with the ocean currents, helping it catch tiny food particles drifting by. Its beautiful purple branches are covered by a thin living tissue that hosts tiny algae, which provide much of the coral's energy through sunlight.

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The leopard blenny
The leopard blenny is a small reef fish from the Indo-Pacific ocean. It is easily recognized by its spotted coloration, which resembles that of a leopard. It lives on shallow coral reefs, feeds mainly on algae and polyps and skillfully camouflages among the corals to avoid predators.
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Grand requin marteau
(Sphyrna mokarran)
(Sphyrna mokarran)
