Protoreaster lincki
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Diego Delso · via Wikipedia: Protoreaster lincki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Protoreaster lincki, the red knob sea star, red spine star, African sea star, or the African red knob sea star, is a species of starfish from the Indian Ocean.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassAsteroidea
- OrderValvatida
- FamilyOreasteridae
- GenusProtoreaster
- SpeciesProtoreaster lincki
Named by (Blainville, 1834)
Close relatives
Other species of Protoreaster with a Codexery entry.
- Horned sea star Protoreaster nodosus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Protoreaster lincki (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 213286 (CC BY 4.0)
Where the protoreaster lincki has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (652 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 27 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 1 isolated far-off record not drawn.
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Authority
- (Blainville, 1830)
- Family
- Oreasteridae
- Order
- Valvatida
- Habitat zone
- benthic
- Gbif occurrence records
- 652
Facts from the source article.
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Echinodermata · Class: Asteroidea · Order: Valvatida · Family: Oreasteridae · Genus: Protoreaster.
Accepted name: Protoreaster lincki · Authority: (Blainville, 1830) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 213286.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Asterias lincki de Blainville, 1830; Oreaster lincki (de Blainville, 1830); Oreaster muricatus (Gray, 1840); Oreaster reinhartdi Lutken, 1864; Pentaceros lincki (de Blainville, 1830); Pentaceros muricatus Gray, 1840; Pentaceros reinhartdi (Lutken, 1864).
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=213286 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Protoreaster lincki. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Habitat zone: benthic · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 173776) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Protoreaster-lincki.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
652 georeferenced occurrence records for Protoreaster lincki are published through GBIF from 24 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 65 distinct locations from a sample of 652 records, omitting 27 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Tanzania, United Republic of (248); Kenya (169); Mozambique (71); Madagascar (57); Australia (30); Seychelles (24); India (11); Viet Nam (6); Indonesia (5); Sri Lanka (4); Oman (4); Mayotte (4); South Africa (4); Papua New Guinea (3); Myanmar (2).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; Tanzanian Exclusive Economic Zone; West Indian Ocean; Mascarene Basin; Eastern Africa & Madagascar; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Aldabra; Cargados Carajos; Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; Madagascar; Red Sea.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5187275) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5187275&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=213286 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
P. lincki grows to a maximum diameter of 12 in. It has numerous tubercles located along its five arms.
These tubercles are bright red and extend upward from the arms. It has a gray body with red stripes that connect the tubercles. This creates an appearance of a grid made of interconnecting wires.
The skeleton is composed of many calcareous ossicles and spicules. They are located inside the layer of connective tissue. This skeleton supports the large central disk.
It is distributed in the western Indian Ocean.
The red-knobbed starfish can only be found in the Indian Ocean, mostly along the African coast and Madagascar, north to India and Sri Lanka. A small population is also present in Coral Bay, Western Australia.
They prefer sandy or muddy seabeds because it is easier for them to search and forage for food. While they are most often seen in shallow tidal pools, they can live in a variety of depths, down to 100 m deep. Red-knobbed starfish are carnivorous animals that eat a number of sea creatures.
P. lincki is active in both daytime and nighttime. It is a popular aquarium specimen, but is considered incompatible with many other invertebrates, as it will eat soft corals, sponges, tube worms, clams, other starfish, and the like.
It is also a heavily fished species for the curios trade, which contributes to the decline of the species.
Source: Wikipedia: Protoreaster lincki — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protoreaster_lincki (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Protoreaster lincki (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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