Occurrence of abnormal starfish Astropecten indicus (Doderlein, 1888) (Echinodermata: Astroidea) along Southeast coast of India

Abstract

Starfish Astropecten indicus was collected from bycatch landings at Mudasalodai fishing harbour, Tamil Nadu (India) in November 2011. Totally 134 specimens collected among three specimens (2,2%) have abnormally developed four and six arms. Normally, A. indicus has five arms and the deviation from pentamerism is a rare phenomenon in starfishes. The present observations suggest that deviations from pentamerism are not a heritable character but are a consequence of environmental perturbations on the metamorphosis of larvae and/or abnormal regeneration of arms.

Keywords

• Abnormal regeneration
• Pentamerism
• Starfish