Thromidia catalai

Heavy starfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Mithrodiidae
Genus: Thromidia
Species:
T. catalai
Binomial name
Thromidia catalai
Pope & Rowe, 1977[1]

Thromidia catalai, sometimes called the heavy starfish, is a species of starfish in the family Mithrodiidae in the order Valvatida. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region.[2] Thromidia catalai is one of the largest and heaviest starfishes in the world. It is reported to weigh as much as 6 kg (13 lb) and have a diameter of 60 to 65 cm (24 to 26 in).[3] This species was first described by the Australian biologists E. C. Pope and F. W. E. Rowe in 1977, the type locality being New Caledonia.[4]

  1. ^ Mah, Christopher (2021). "Thromidia catalai Pope & Rowe, 1977". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  2. ^ Le Bris, Sylvain; Bodilis, Pascaline; Pean, Michel (26 December 2014). "Thromidia catalai Pope & Rowe, 1977" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  3. ^ Mah, Christopher L. (1 July 2008). "What Are the World's LARGEST Starfish?". The Echinoblog. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  4. ^ Marsh, L.M. (2009). "A new species of Thromidia (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from Western Australia". Records of the Western Australian Museum. 25: 145–151. doi:10.18195/issn.0312-3162.25(2).2009.145-151.