Distribution: Moderately common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo – West Pacific region, from the Phillipines and southern Japan to Australia. In Australia recorded from around Exmouth in Western Australia across the tropical north to the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Inshore benthic species, common in some areas in shallow water. Depth to at least 60 m.

Additional Notes: Variable colouration, may be red or brown as well as yellow, with or without mottling. Can reproduce by the process of autotomy, the lower photograph showing a “parent” arm with five smaller arms growing from it. Grows to 250 mm.

References: Neville Coleman, Sea Stars. Echinoderms of the Asia/Indo-Pacific. Neville Coleman’s Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd, 2007. pp.23-4.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=echinaster+luzonicus. Accessed 10/10/2018.