My OperaGiant starfish thought to be a new species
By KaylinQkaylinq. Sunday, May 28, 2006 1:17:56 AM
BY TOMOYUKI YAMAMOTO, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Two huge starfish photographed in waters off the Oki islands, Shimane Prefecture, could be a new species, say marine biologists.
The orange echinoderms with yellow spots each have 10 arms. One creature measured nearly 60 centimeters across from tip to tip, while the other was a full meter when spread out, said underwater photographer Masakazu Akagi, 46.
The 1-meter starfish is perhaps the largest seen in waters around Japan.
Akagi photographed the larger one May 3 at a depth of about 35 meters off Togo island, part of the island chain in the Sea of Japan.
The next day, he found the 60-centimeter starfish lying about 25 meters deep in the same area.
He removed tissue samples from the second one and sent them to the Kushimoto Marine Park Center in Wakayama Prefecture. Starfish can regrow missing portions of their anatomy.
Park researchers sent the samples to Masaki Saba, an expert in sea stars, the preferred name for starfish as the creatures are not actually fish.
Saba and others say the huge sea star may be a new species of the genus Kanmuri hitode, or Coronaster, which is usually found at much greater depths.
The finding puzzled Akagi and others.
"The spot was shallow and near the shore," Akagi says. "I wonder why such a huge creature has never before been discovered."
Previously, the largest sea star ever found near Japan was a five-arm O-futotoge hitode, or Thromidia catalai, of about 80 centimeters. It is also called a "fat star" because its arms are shaped like sausages.
Source: http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200605230147.html
Two huge starfish photographed in waters off the Oki islands, Shimane Prefecture, could be a new species, say marine biologists.
The orange echinoderms with yellow spots each have 10 arms. One creature measured nearly 60 centimeters across from tip to tip, while the other was a full meter when spread out, said underwater photographer Masakazu Akagi, 46.
The 1-meter starfish is perhaps the largest seen in waters around Japan.
Akagi photographed the larger one May 3 at a depth of about 35 meters off Togo island, part of the island chain in the Sea of Japan.
The next day, he found the 60-centimeter starfish lying about 25 meters deep in the same area.
He removed tissue samples from the second one and sent them to the Kushimoto Marine Park Center in Wakayama Prefecture. Starfish can regrow missing portions of their anatomy.
Park researchers sent the samples to Masaki Saba, an expert in sea stars, the preferred name for starfish as the creatures are not actually fish.
Saba and others say the huge sea star may be a new species of the genus Kanmuri hitode, or Coronaster, which is usually found at much greater depths.
The finding puzzled Akagi and others.
"The spot was shallow and near the shore," Akagi says. "I wonder why such a huge creature has never before been discovered."
Previously, the largest sea star ever found near Japan was a five-arm O-futotoge hitode, or Thromidia catalai, of about 80 centimeters. It is also called a "fat star" because its arms are shaped like sausages.
Source: http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200605230147.html
