About Mithrodia bradleyi Verrill, 1867
Bradley's sea star, Mithrodia bradleyi Verrill, 1867, has five arms that are banded in alternating lighter and darker shades of red or red-brown. It has a small central disk. Its arms are covered in many small bumps and a smaller number of more prominent spines. These spines are arranged in rows: one row runs along the top of each arm, and typically two additional rows run the full length of each arm on either side. The arms are rounded, and almost circular in cross-section. This species can reach a maximum diameter of 20 centimetres, which is 7.9 inches. Bradley's sea star is distributed in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Chile, including the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands. It inhabits rocky bottoms and coral reefs, ranging from the intertidal zone down to 50 metres, or 160 feet, deep. It lives in waters with temperatures between 19.74 °C (67.53 °F) and 24.327 °C (75.789 °F). Because this temperature range is cooler than that of a typical tropical fish tank, this sea star is not collected for the aquarium trade.
