Henricia Sanguinolenta

Henricia sanguinolenta
A Henricia sanguinolenta sea star
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Asteroidea
Order:	Spinulosida
Family:	Echinasteridae
Genus:	Henricia
Species:	H. sanguinolenta
Binomial name
Henricia sanguinolenta (O.F. Müller, 1776)

Henricia sanguinolenta, commonly known as the northern henricia or bloody henry, is a species of sea star from the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Henricia sanguinolenta is very similar to Henricia oculata, and the two can only be distinguished by laboratory tests. It comes in colors of red, yellow, orange, purple, and lavender.

Henricia sanguinolenta is found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. The sea star can be seen on the beach, under rocks, in tidal pools when available, and on gravel. Its aquatic biomes are the coastal and benthic zones. The sea star is almost always found near sponges and coral because of the currents they create, making it easier for the sea star to filter feed. Henricia sanguinolenta is found from depths of 0 to 2414 meters.

Henricia sanguinolenta is a planktivore and carnivore. The sea star filter feeds upon detritus and plankton floating in the water, and uses currents made by sponges or coral to make this process easier. Henricia feeds on plankton, sponge tissue, ascidians, and other invertebrates. It is eaten by vertebrates.

Henricia sanguinolenta is a stable gonochoric. The sea star usually reproduces during February and May. The sea stars migrate to warm, shallow water during the breeding season. The sea stars mate through disk fusion. The eggs are then kept under the disk of the female starfish to incubate after fertilization occurs. After incubation, the female deposits its eggs on the ground, secretes mucus onto them, and then stays on top of the eggs for three weeks while they hatch. The sea stars are polygamous. Henricia sanguinolenta has a diploid chromosome number of 36.

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Wikipedia