Horned sea star

Scientific name : Protoreaster sp.

Large sea star, high, though. 5 short triangular arms. The background colour is grey, with an orange or dark red reticulated pattern. Pointed tubercles, orange or red in colour, at the tips of the triangles. 35 cm.
Encountered on sandy bottoms in shallow bay.
Distinguished from Protoreaster nodosus by the colour, the reticulated pattern and the shorter spines. Similar to Protoreaster lincki, Indian Ocean species, the latter having brilliant red spines.

Associated organisms
With the commensal shrimp Periclimenes soror.