WHATSTHATFISH
Sea stars & urchins

Pentagon Sea Star

Eurygonias hylacanthus

Also known as: Cushion Sea Star, Cushion Star, Pentagon Star, Starfish, Uri, Uri Sea Star

Adult
@fishx6 · EcoWorld Aquarium, Picton, New Zealand · December 20161 / 1
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Overview

Also known Cushion Sea Star, Cushion Star, Pentagon Star, Starfish, Uri, Uri Sea Star.

Found singly, or in constellations, usually in deep waters, over rubble and sandy areas, of coral and rocky reefs. To catch their food, the cushion star, inflates its cushion and then deflates on top of its prey!
Southwest Pacific - New Zealand

Sea Stars have remarkable regenerative powers, when attacked and damaged by predators they are able to grow new arms. They usually have five arms but have been found with 4 or 6 arms, this may be because more than one arm has been damaged at one time!
Sometimes small parasitic limpets can be found on the underside of arms which can deform the arms.
They possess a cleverly evolved arsenal of hydraulic tube feet connected to an elaborate water-vascular system that encircles the animal's mouth and extends via five radial canals down the centre of each arm.
Their mouth is underneath, but their prey is absorbed outside their mouths by forcing out their digestive organs from their stomach.
Sea Stars are carnivores and feed on almost any food including molluscs, worms, detritus and each other!
Some sea stars like the crown of thorns can be venomous.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Southwest Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in constellations, usually in deep waters, over rubble and sandy areas, of coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 1

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumEchinodermata
    3. classAsteroidea
    4. orderValvatida
    5. familyOdontasteridae
    6. genusEurygonias
    7. speciesEurygonias hylacanthus Farquhar, 1913

    SourcesWoRMS

    06

    More in the family

    Valvatida