Heliaster kubiniji, Xantus, 1860
Heliaster kubiniji is a species of starfish in the order Forcipulatida. It is commonly known as the gulf sun star, the common sun star or estrella de mar de golfo and it occurs in the intertidal zone of the Pacific coast of California, Mexico and Nicaragua.
Juvenile gulf sun stars that have recently undergone metamorphosis have five arms, but more arms grow as the animals get bigger and adults have nineteen to twenty five arms. Large individuals are a mauve colour with black and green blotching and banding while juveniles are a darker colour. It typically has a diameter of about 15 cm (6 in).
The gulf sun star is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean and its range extends from Cape Mendocino in California to Nicaragua.
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