In a recent publication, we have examined whether the abundance and size of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis exhibit a depth-dependent partitioning on subtidal reefs off northern Portugal. We have demonstrated that the abundance and size of M. glacialis decreased with depth and that this pattern is directly linked with the distribution of its preferred prey: mussels, through the use of a combination of in situ census and indoor preference assays.
The full reference is: F. Tuya & Duarte, P. Role of food availability in the bathymetric distribution of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis (Lamk.) on reefs of northern Portugal. Scientia Marina 76(1).
