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? Blue Sea Star Crown-of-thorns starfish Horned Sea Star Necklace Sea Star Pillow Cushion Sea Star Red Tubercled Sea Star Crown-of-thorns starfish Scientific name: Acanthaster planci Although widely considered to be a pest species, Close Red Tubercled Sea Star Scientific name: Pentaceraster tuberculatus Close 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. Close Necklace Sea Star Also called: Orange Marble Starfish Scientific name: Fromia monilis Close 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. Close 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. Close
SEA Undersea
