Scientific name: Henricia oculata- Size: Grows to a maximum of around 15cm across.
- Distribution: Found all around the British Isles but more common on the southern and western coasts.
The bloody henry is a species of starfish found around most of the UK. It can be a bright reddish, orange or yellow in colour. It grows to around 10cm across, with a small number being up to half as large again. They have five slender arms and an extremely rough texture. The bloody henry is very common around much of the British Isles. It does not tend to be found in the intertidal zone and instead lives slightly further out to sea in deeper water. Their feed on plankton and other microscopic sea creatures.
The species Henricia sanguinolenta very closely related to Henricia oculata that laboratory tests are needed to verify the differences. For this reason they are almost always classed as a single species.