Asterina miniata

Information about the Bat Star

The Bat star is a member of the family Asteroidea. They are also called the Sea bat, Webbed star, Bat Man and Broad-disk star. This ocean animal is an echinoderm (commonly known as sea stars). It usually has five arms, with the center disk of the animal being much wider than the stubby arms are in length. Bat stars come in many different colors, such as green, purple, red, orange, yellow and brown, either mottled or solid. The bat star gets its name from the webbing between its arms, which is said to resemble a bat's wings. The bat star is usually found in the intertidal zone at an average depth of 260 feet (79 meters). Its range extends from Sitka, Alaska to Baja California in the Pacific Ocean. It is most abundant along the coast of Central California and the Monterey Bay. Bat stars are important as scavengers, collecting algae and dead animals from the ocean floor and helping keep the ocean healthy. The poster is printed on matte, museum-quality paper with Giclée printing quality: • Paper thickness: 10.3 mil • Paper weight: 5.6 oz/y² (192 g/m²) • Opacity: 94% Buy a Digital Download