Starfish, or sea stars, are a huge family of over 1,800 species of bottom-dwelling animals. Most stars have five arms, and so are one of the few asymmetrical animals on the planet. I think that's interesting, don't you?
Crown-of-thorns starfish
Scientific name: Acanthaster planci
Although widely considered to be a pest species,
Red Tubercled Sea Star
Scientific name: Pentaceraster tuberculatus
Pillow Cushion Sea Star
Scientific name: Culcita novaeguinea
Pincushion, or pillow cushion, sea stars are the more unusual members of this big family. Oddly, whenever I've looked closely at one of these, they've had 'fleas' - small cleaner fish or shrimps scouring their surface.
Necklace Sea Star
Also called: Orange Marble Starfish
Scientific name: Fromia monilis
Horned Sea Star
Also called: Chocolate-chip Sea Star
Scientific name: Protoreaster nodosus
The sandy sea grass patch in front of Two Fish Divers on Bunaken was covered in these stars, which really do look like chocolate-chip cookies.
Blue Sea Star
Scientific name: Linckia laevigata
Blue stars, which in Southeast Asia seem to be light blue rather than dark, are somewhat common, but not ubiquitous. Chances are, you'll spot one or two of them around the major dive areas.