It is a greenish gray colour on the dorsal sid with a large, irregular, purplish brown blotch in the centre which is surrounded by red spots at the bases of the arms.

It has been reported from a wider range east to Hawaii and south to Madagascar[4] but these records appear to refer to other similar Aquilonastra species.

[4] Aquilonastra burtoni is a benthic species which occurs in shallow waters between 0 and 10m in depth where is common in the lower shore below the low tide line under rock slabs and boulders.

[6] In sexual reproduction the eggs and sperm are broadcast and the larvae are planktonic lecithotrophs, i.e. they rely on a yolk for their initial nutrition.

[10] Further studies have suggested that this is a complex of species with the three fissiparous Mediterranean populations named as Aquilonastra yairi sp.