Purple starfish (Lat. Ophidiaster ophidianus). It is found on rocks from 5 to 25 m deep. It can reach 40 cm of a diameter, but usually is around 20 cm.  The central disc is small. It has five long arms, round in cross-section and of the same size nearly on its whole length slightly tappering at their end. On the arms, short respiratory papillae arranged in lines run from the central disc to the arm ends. It has a relatively soft structure and smooth surface. It has a big variation in colour (from red to orange) and may present brown spots. It feeds on crustose algae and bryozoans, sponges, small gastropods and sedimentary organic matter.