• Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Echinodermata
  • Subphylum: Asterozoa
  • Class: Asteroidea
  • Order: Paxillosida
  • Family: Astropectinidae
  • Scientific name: Astropecten irregularis
  • Norwegian: kamstjerne

Characteristics:

The sand star can reach a diameter of 20 cm. The five arms are short and the flattened body seems stiff when touching it. The upper (dorsal) side comes in shades of pink, pale reddish violet or orange. The oral side is light beige or white. The arms are edged by clearly visible plates, each with a conical spine, contributing to its characteristic appearance.

Habitat:

The sand star is usually buried in sandy substrate on depths from 10 to 1000 meters.

Distribution:

The species is registered along the Atlantic coasts of Europe, from Norway to Morocco.