(Phillipi, 1837)
Description
The bipinnaria larva of L. ciliaris does not attain such a large size as Luidia sarsi. In the late bipinnaria the larva develops a seven-armed rudiment — concordant with the number of arms of the adult.
The larva has a "stalk" with extensive ciliary bands, the larva has also larval armas and ciliary girdles.
The juvenile disk has tube-feet that are already active before the release of the starfish from the larva.
After metamorphosis, the larval body is resorbed.
Depth range
Larva planktonic; adult from lower shore to deeper waters, often buried in sandy bottoms or gravel or mixed sediments; feeds on other echinoderms.
Size
[No information about larval size]
Distribution in the North Sea
Northern North Sea, probably absent from the South.