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Home > Sea Fishing & Aquaculture > The Marine Environment > Marine Pests > Pest Identification > Northern Pacific Seastar

Northern Pacific Seastar (Asterias amurensis)

Northern Pacific Seastar
Asterias amurensis
(CRIMP - CSIRO Marine Research)
Underwater photograph of a cluster of Northern Pacific Seastars.

Key Features:

Five arms with pointed upturned tips.

Mature Seastars:

  • have 5 arms with pointed tips which are upturned at the end
  • are mainly yellow but may have purple detail
  • are covered in many small spines with jagged ends that are arranged irregularly along arms.

Which Native Seastars Look Similar?

There are two native seastars that look similar, Coscinasterias muricata (11 arms) and Uniophora granifera, but these native seastars have arms with rounded tips.

Colour photograph showing pointed tips and purple markings of the Northern Pacific Seastar.
Colour photograph of the six armed native starfish Coscinasterias muricata.
Colour photograph of a Uniphora granifera seastar showing rounded tip of arms.

Native seastar
Northern Pacific Seastar
Asterias amurensis
(Photograph by CRIMP -
CSIRO Marine Research)
Native seastar
Coscinasterias muricata
(Photograph by Terence Bogue
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery)
Uniophora granifera
(Photograph by Terence Bogue
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery)

Habitat:

  • coastal areas not exposed to high wave action (eg estuaries and deep water)
  • soft sediment and reef from intertidal to depths of up to 200 metres
  • often in disturbed habitats (eg wharfs and yacht clubs).

Distribution:

Map showing in red the species range on the East and Southeast coast of Tasmania.
Populations are found from Banks Strait in the north to Recherche Bay in the south. The highest population densities are found in the Derwent estuary (Hobart).

Permit Required:

To reduce the risk of further spreading this marine pest, it has been listed as a noxious species under the Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995. To collect and possess this species requires a permit which may be obtained from the Department of Primary Industries and Water by calling 6233 6208.

What Can You Do?

  • clean and anti-foul boat hulls regularly
  • clean/wash shellfish and clean/dry aquaculture gear before transporting to a different lease
  • report sightings of Asterias to the Marine Environment contact officer.

Further Information:

Identification Guide:

Download Northern Pacific Seastar (Asterias amurensis) as a PDF  Northern Pacific Seastar (Asterias amurensis)
(PDF: 104 KB / 2 pages)
 
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Contact: Marine Environment
Alastair Morton
Senior Marine Environmental Officer (Pests)
1 Franklin Wharf HOBART TAS 7000 TAS
Phone: 03 6233 7577
Fax: 03 6234 1335
Email: Alastair.Morton@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

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This page - http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/ECAL-5KM3ZY?open - was last published on 23 June 2009 by the Department of Primary Industries and Water. Questions concerning its content can be sent to MarineFarming Enquiries by using the feedback form, by mail to GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001, or by telephone to 03 6233 3370.

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