DiscoverSpeciesOther invertebrates
Cryptasterina pentagona
- Usual depth0–2 m
- Water temperature20–29 °C
- Best monthsApril, May, and July
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) Matt B, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Cryptasterina pentagona is a species of starfish in the family Asterinidae. It is found in shallow waters in north eastern Australia. Its life cycle includes the release of large-yolked eggs and the development of planktonic larvae which is in contrast to the very similar Cryptasterina hystera which is viviparous. The two appear to have diverged from a common ancestral line only a few thousand years ago.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Cryptasterina pentagona”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 8 records
- February: 6 records
- March: 16 records
- April: 18 records
- May: 20 records
- June: 18 records
- July: 29 records
- August: 10 records
- September: 8 records
- October: 12 records
- November: 4 records
- December: 6 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–2 m · Deepest record: 2.6 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 20–29 °C
Photos
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist 
(c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Dave Shenton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
Other scientific names: Asterina pentagona, Asterina pseudoexigua, Asteriscus pentagonus, Patiriella obscura, Patiriella pseudoexigua
Similar species
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 82 open-data records from 1908 to 2014.
- Species data updated October 26, 2026.
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