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Taxonomy
Phylum: Echinodermata
This is not a Mollusc. Other non-Molluscan Phyla (Echinodermata, Brachiopoda etc) have been included to help identify species that may be mistaken for Mollusca, but are not.
Family:
ASTERIIDAE
Full Classification:
Echinodermata (Phylum)
> Asterozoa (Subphylum)
> Asteroidea (Class)
> Forcipulatacea (Superorder)
> Forcipulatida (Order)
> Asteriidae (Family)
> Coscinasterias (Genus)
> muricata (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Asterias (Coscinasterias) Verrill, 1867
=Asterias (Stolasterias) Sladen, 1889
=Coscinasterias (Coscinasterias) Verrill, 1867 accepted, alternate representation
=Lytaster Perrier, 1894
=Stolasterias Sladen, 1889 accepted, alternate representation
Images: Coscinasterias muricata Verrill, 1867
A juvenile with only 6 arms, under a rock at low tide, Tapotupotu Bay, Far North, NZ
A juvenile with only 6 arms, under a rock at low tide, Tapotupotu Bay, Far North, NZ
Taxonomy
Phylum: Echinodermata
This is not a Mollusc. Other non-Molluscan Phyla (Echinodermata, Brachiopoda etc) have been included to help identify species that may be mistaken for Mollusca, but are not.
Family:
ASTERIIDAE
Full Classification:
Echinodermata (Phylum)
> Asterozoa (Subphylum)
> Asteroidea (Class)
> Forcipulatacea (Superorder)
> Forcipulatida (Order)
> Asteriidae (Family)
> Coscinasterias (Genus)
> muricata (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Asterias (Coscinasterias) Verrill, 1867
=Asterias (Stolasterias) Sladen, 1889
=Coscinasterias (Coscinasterias) Verrill, 1867 accepted, alternate representation
=Lytaster Perrier, 1894
=Stolasterias Sladen, 1889 accepted, alternate representation
Details: Coscinasterias muricata Verrill, 1867
Distribution:
Found throughout mainland NZ and Australia
Geographical Range:
ACF
Notes:
Marine, Pale orange, grey/blue with 11 arms. Intertidal to sublittoral
Distribution Map
 
References and Publications

Key to Geographical Ranges
NZ Map showing Geographical Ranges
The symbols K.A.C.F.M.An. are used to indicate the geographical range of the species. They have been adopted to give an approximation of the range of each species within New Zealand.
K=
Kermadec Islands
A=
Aupourian - Kaipara Harbour, north around North Cape, encompassing the Three Kings Islands and south to East Cape
C=
Cookian - Lower North Island and the northern part of the South Island
F=
Forsterian - Otago, Fiordland and Stewart Island
M=
Moriorian - Chatham Islands, Pitt Island
An=
Antipodean - Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand
Fw =
Freshwater
L =
Land
N =
North Island
S =
South Island
E =
Endemic
I =
Introduced
R =
Recent
Sf =
Subfossil
Fo =
Fossil