Astroboa nuda | |
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A. nuda feeding at night (Red Sea, Egypt) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Echinodermata |
Class: | Ophiuroidea |
Order: | Phrynophiurida |
Suborder: | Euryalina |
Family: | Gorgonocephalidae |
Genus: | Astroboa |
Species: | A. nuda |
Binomial name | |
Astroboa nuda Lyman, 1874 |
Astroboa nuda is a basket star from Gorgonocephalidae family. Its large arms (up to 1.0 metre (3.3 ft) armspread) are highly branched. It inhabits reef slopes exposed to current in diverse places such as the Red Sea and New Caledonia. During the day it coils into tight ball. At night it spreads arms to form a basket to feed on plankton.