Düben and Koren, 1846

Description
The planktonic bipinnaria larva of L. sarsi attains a rather large size. In the late bipinnaria the larva develops a five-armed rudiment — concordant with the number of arms of the adult, which develops from the rudiment.
The larva has a "stalk" with extensive ciliary bands, the larva has also larval arms and ciliary girdles.
The juvenile disk has tube-feet that are already active before the release of the starfish from the larva.
The larval development is long, more than one year.
Among the larva of starfishes, L. sarsi is special because its exceptionally large size, and at metamorphosis the larval body detaches from the juvenile starfish and the larval body remains alive for a considerable time.

Depth range
Larva planktonic; adults usually in waters deeper than 20 m, often on, or buried in muddy sediments.

Size
Larval size may get up to about 14 mm.

Distribution in the North Sea
Northern North Sea, maybe rare in the South.

Kingdom Animalia
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Paxillosida
Family Luidiidae
Genus Luidia
Species Luidia sarsi

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Luidia sarsi Düben and Koren, 1845

Scientific synonyms and common names

Astrella simplex | Perrier, in Milne-Edwards, 1882
Luidia africana | Sladen, 1889

Meek, A., 1927. Bipinnaria asterigera (Echinoderma), from the Northumberland plankton. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1927: 157-171.

Wilson, D.P., 1978. Some observations on bipinnariae and juveniles of the starfish genus Luidia. Journal of the marine biological Association of the U.K., 58: 467-478.

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