Tamarisk Sea Star, Tamaria stria

Tamarisk Sea Star, Tamaria stria. Star provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, December 2013. Pictured stars wingspan: 18 cm (7.1 inches).

The Tamarisk Sea Star, Tamaria stria Downey, 1975) is a member of the Ophidiasteridae Family of Ophidiasterid Sea Stars, also known as the Burgundy Sea Star, the Purple Linkia Star, and the Rough Purple Sea Star and in Mexico as estrella de mar tamarisk. There are 18 global members of the Tamaria Genus, only one of which, this species, is found in Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Tamarisk Sea Stars have cylindrical arms that are marked by rows of pores, through which gill papillae protrude. They have a granulate texture on their aboral surface. They may be uniform maroon, purple or red in color that varying based on diet. Tamarisk Sea Stars have a maximum wingspan of 17.5 cm (6.8 inches).

The Tamarisk Sea Star is found on rocky and rubble environments in depths between 12 m (40 feet) and 50 m (165 feet). They feed on algae, echinoderms, and other small invertebrates. They have the ability to reproduce asexually, by breaking off an arm and that arm creating a whole new starfish.

The Tamarisk Sea Star is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean, however they have a limited distribution being found from the Midriff Islands in the Sea of Cortez and southward along the coast of the mainland to Guatemala. They are absent from along the Pacific Coast of Baja.

The Tamarisk Sea Star is utilized by the aquarium trade on a limited basis and can be purchased via the internet. They are popular as they are easy to maintain.