About Pteraster militaris (O.F.Müller, 1776)
Pteraster militaris, scientifically named by O.F.Müller in 1776, is a robust starfish. It has a wide disc, a large central pore, and five short, wrinkled, triangular arms. Its aboral (upper) surface is dotted with papulae, each topped with four short spines. A papery covering over this surface gives the starfish an inflated, bulky appearance. This species grows to a diameter of 85 millimetres (3.3 in). Its color is usually orange, pale yellow, or white, and it sometimes has red-colored arm tips. Pteraster militaris inhabits rocky habitats in waters down to 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) deep. It can be found in the Arctic Ocean, the Bering Sea, the north west Pacific Ocean extending south as far as Oregon, the Barents Sea, and the north east and north west Atlantic Ocean.
