Stichaster australis

Stichaster australis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Asteroidea
Order:	Forcipulatida
Family:	Stichasteridae
Genus:	Stichaster
Species:	S. australis
Binomial name
Stichaster australis (Verrill, 1871)

Stichaster australis, the reef starfish, is a species of starfish found in the shallow waters of the rocky intertidal of New Zealand. Typically, the animal is endemic to the west coast shores of the North and South Islands, where wave action is increased. They do not usually inhabit ecosystems that have reduced wave action and calm conditions as they prefer a higher-energy environment. These marine invertebrates range in color from pink to purple, but can also be orange.^[1] They typically have eleven arms, but sometimes they may have either ten or twelve.^[2] As full-grown adults, they are 8 to 10 cm in diameter.