Patiriella mortenseni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Patiriella mortenseni |
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| Conservation status | |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Scientific classification | |
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Asterinidae
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| Genus: |
Patiriella
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| Species: |
P. mortenseni
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| Binomial name | |
| Patiriella mortenseni O'Loughlin, Waters & Roy, 2002
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Patiriella mortenseni is a type of sea star that lives only in New Zealand. It belongs to the family called Asterinidae. Scientists first officially described this sea star as a new species in 2002. It was named after T. Mortensen, a scientist who noticed it was different from another common New Zealand sea star, Patiriella regularis, way back in 1925.
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Discovering the Mortensen's Sea Star
This unique sea star was officially recognized as a new species in 2002. However, its special features were first noted much earlier, in 1925, by a scientist named T. Mortensen. He realized it was different from the more common New Zealand cushion star, Patiriella regularis. Because of his early observations, the sea star was named Patiriella mortenseni in his honor.
Where Does This Sea Star Live?
The Patiriella mortenseni sea star is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to that country. It prefers to live in deeper waters, unlike some other sea stars. For example, in places like Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, you can find it at depths of about 10 meters (around 33 feet).
How Does It Handle Salty Water?
Scientists have done special tests to understand how Patiriella mortenseni handles different amounts of salt in the water. These tests are called transplant experiments. They showed that this sea star is not very good at living in water that is less salty. This kind of water is called hyposaline (meaning "less salty").
Its close relative, P. regularis, can handle less salty water much better. This difference explains why Patiriella mortenseni lives in deeper parts of the ocean. The deeper water usually has a more stable, saltier environment, away from fresh water that might flow in from rivers or rain closer to the surface.
Salinity Tolerance in the Lab
Scientists also tested these sea stars in a laboratory. They found that Patiriella mortenseni sea stars cannot survive for long in water that is not salty enough. If the water's saltiness drops below 25 ‰ (which means 25 parts per thousand of salt), they will die within 24 hours. This shows how important salty water is for their survival.
