Distribution: Relatively common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, East Africa to the South Pacific Islands, north to Japan.

Ecological Notes: Lives on sand flats and coral reef areas, and other warm shallow areas near coasts. It lives successfully in crevices where it is mostly found during daylight hours, but is also found in aggregate groups on the sandy ocean floor or individually hidden under heads of coral. Depth range from 0 to 70 m.

Additional Notes: Dark blue or black with five electric blue markings and a blue faecal cone. Very long sharp spines cause painful injuries. Is at times host to juvenile fish. Overall diameter including spines around 250 mm.

References: Neville Coleman, Sea Stars. Echinoderms of the Asia/Indo-Pacific. Neville Coleman’s Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd, 2007. p.90.

Palomares, M.L.D. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. SeaLifeBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.sealifebase.org, version (06/2018). http://www.sealifebase.org/summary/Diadema-savignyi.html. Accessed 10/10/2018