Here is her response:
"Thanks! Unfortunately, I’ve gone through all my sources and have not been able
to find a similar star that’s indigenous to the area around Fiji. My best guess
is that it’s something in the genus Echinaster, which includes a number of
“spiny” species such as the Spiny/Common Sea Star (Echinaster sentus) that’s so
common around Florida/tropical Atlantic. Adding to the ID difficulty is the fact
that sea stars can vary to a surprising degree in color and morphology, often
with localized variants. Overall health can also be a factor in that it can
affect color. Your star may have started off as a dark red, orange, or even
brown, etc., before it was transported. Please see the following links for more
information and photos of Echinaster spp. for comparison:
Echinaster sentus:
http://www.sms.si.edu/irlfieldguide/Echina_sentas.htm
More Echinaster spp.:
http://www.eol.org/pages/71494
The orange individual at the following link (listed as Echinaster echinophorus)
looks similar but I’m not confident of the ID. Basically, it could be the right
star with the wrong name but it does seem to point toward your star being in
this genus. At any rate, the darker red individual (see thumbnail below photo)
is more typical of the species. The other just doesn't fit – at least not to my
eyes. Also, I can only guess that if it is indeed E. echinophorus that the
photo must have been shot from within a tank since you’d never see this species
alongside what appears to be a Tridacnid clam in the wild (different ranges):
http://www.meerwasser-lexikon.de/tiere/1072_Echinaster_echinophorus.htm
As far as how “safe” this star will be around your other livestock, I can only
tell you that if it is indeed a species of Echinaster, it could consume anything
from detritus and/or biofilm, to sponges, tunicates, clams or other sessile
invertebrates. Keeping the star healthy could present a challenge, but if you
wish to try, you might try offering it some meaty bits of marine origin (clam in
particular). Do also keep an eye out for any signs of decline so you can get
the star out before it causes any water chemistry issues.>
Thanks again!
<You’re very welcome! I’m just sorry I couldn’t have offered a positive ID!
Take care, Lynn Z>"
