Oreaster reticulatus
Encyclopedia
Oreaster reticulatus, commonly
known as red cushion sea star, is a species of marine invertebrate
, a starfish in the family Oreasteridae
.
, the Caribbean Sea
, Florida
, the Gulf of Mexico
, Guyanas
and Yucatán
.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as red cushion sea star, is a species of marine invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
, a starfish in the family Oreasteridae
Oreasteridae
Oreasteridae is a family of sea stars in the class Asteroidea.Selected genera=* Acheronaster H.E.S.Clark, 1982* Anthaster Döderlein, 1915* Anthenea J.E.Gray, 1840* Astrosarkus Mah, 2003* Bothriaster Döderlein, 1916...
.
Description
Distribution
Oreaster reticulatus occurs in many regions of the Western Central Atlantic, including Bahamas, Cape Frio, Cape HatterasCape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, Guyanas
Guyanas
Guyana is a country in South America.Guyana, Guayana, or Guiana may also refer to:*Guayana Esequiba, the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela*Guayana Region, an administrative region of Venezuela...
and Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
.