National Museum of Natural Science

The granulated sea star belongs to the family Oreasteridae and is rarely found in the waters off Taiwan. Currently, there are records of it from the waters off Kenting and Xiaoliuqiu and this museum has only one specimen in its collection. This sea star inhabits coral reef waters at depths of 10-20 meters and may have originated in the Philippine waters. Many rare marine organisms around Taiwan encounter the same situation. Their home may be in the tropical seas around the Philippines. However, their larvae are carried to Taiwan by the ocean currents, especially the Kuroshio or Black Current and its tributaries.

The rare granulated sea star - Choriaster granulates