Although often referred to as ‘starfish’, they are not fish and 'sea star’ might be a better name. Sea stars are a member of the group of animals called Echinoderms meaning ‘Spiky skin’. Other members of the Echinoderms are brittle stars, feather stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins. There are over 1.800 different species of sea stars.
Sea stars are well known for their ability of regeneration. In general a sea star can still regenerate when only a fifth of the body remains in tact and if some of the central disk of the sea star is part of it.
Some species, such as Echinaster luzonicus and Linckia multifora also know a form of asexual reproduction; an arm is let go which regenerates into a new sea star.
Acanthaster planci
Crown of thorns sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island Dive R. (night dive)
Acanthaster planci
Crown of thorns sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island Dive R. (night dive)
Aquilonastra cepheus
Skirted star,
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
unidentified Aquilonastra sp.
?
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
Archaster angulatus
Angular star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Serena basar (night dive)
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2007
Dive site: St. Annaland
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Grevelingen, Netherlands 2008
Dive site: Catamaranhaven
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Grevelingen, Netherlands 2009
Dive site: Plompe toren
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2009
Dive site: Zeelandbrug
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2009
Dive site: Zeelandbrug
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2009
Dive site: Zeelandbrug
Asterias rubens
Common sea star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2010
Dive site: Burghsluis
Astropecten polyacanthus
juvenile Comb sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site:Teluk kembahu II (night dive)
Astropecten polyacanthus
Comb sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: new jetty (night dive)
Astropecten polyacanthus
Comb sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
unidentified Astropecten sp.
?
Lembeh, Indonesia 2006
Dive site: Jahir
unidentified Astropecten sp.
?
Gili islands, Lombok, Indonesia 2009
Gili Trawangan, Stingray (night dive)
unidentified Astropecten sp.
?
Bali, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Secret bay
unidentified Astropecten sp.
?
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
Celerina heffermani
Hefferman’s star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site: Magic rock
Choriaster granulatus
Granulated sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Panagsama beach
Culcita novaeguineae
Pincushion sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Pescador, south-east
Culcita novaeguineae
Pincushion sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2002
Dive site: Jahir
Culcita novaeguineae
Pincushion sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Tidore
Culcita novaeguineae
Pincushion sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Culcita novaeguineae
Pincushion sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Echinaster callosus
Thick-skinned sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Pulau serena
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2009
Tulamben, USAT Liberty (night dive)
Echinaster luzonicus
regenerating Luzon sea star
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Shark reef
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Kampung witou
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Seraya
Echinaster luzonicus
Luzon sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Seraya
Fromia ghardaqana
Ghardaqa sea star
Wadi Lahami, Egypt 2003
Dive site: Torfa
Fromia monilis
Necklace sea star
Kapalai, Malaysia 2003
Dive site: house reef Mandarin valley
Fromia monilis
Necklace sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Kasai wall
Fromia monilis
Necklace sea star
Gili islands, Lombok, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Gili Meno, Bounty
Fromia monilis
Necklace sea star
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
Dive site: Air manis
Fromia monilis
Necklace sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Shark reef
Gomophia egyptiaca
Egyptian sea star
Deep South, Egypt 2004
Dive site: Fury Shoal, Sha'ab Claudia
Gomophia egyptiaca
Egyptian sea star
Wadi Lahami, Egypt 2003
Dive site: Torfa
unidentified Gomophia sp.
unidentified nippled star
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
Dive site: Devion point
Linckia laevigata
Blue sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Panagsama beach
Linckia laevigata
Blue sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Pescador east
Linckia laevigata
Blue sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Pintu kolada
Linckia laevigata
Blue sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Gemaf
Linckia multiflora
Comet sea Star
Deep South, Egypt 2004
Dive site: Fury Shoal, Sataya south
Linckia multiflora
Multi-pore sea star
Ambon, Indonesia, 2010
Dive site: Laha III (night dive)
Linckia multiflora
Multi-pore sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: N 00.28.218 / E 128.03.389
Linckia multiflora
Multi-pore sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Fish fountain
Linckia multiflora
Multi-pore sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: N 00.28.218 / E 128.03.389
Linckia multiflora
Multi-pore sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Fish fountain
Luidia maculata
Speckled sea star
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
house reef Weda resort (night dive)
Monolis pacifica
Pacific sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2008
Dive site: Nudi falls
Nardoa novaecaledoniae
New Caledonian star
Bali, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Tulamben, Coral garden
Nardoa novaecaledoniae
New Caledonian star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Neoferdina glyptodisca
Plated sea star
Manado, Indonesia 2002
Dive site: House reef Aquanaut Manado
Neoferdina offreti
?
Bali, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Turtle neck (night dive)
Pentaster obtusatus
?
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Teluk kembahu III
Protoreaster nodosus
juvenile Horned sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
house reef Magic Island Dive R. (night dive)
Protoreaster nodosus
Horned sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Pescador, south-east (night dive)
Pentaceraster alveolatus
General colored sea star
Cebu, the Philippines 2007
Dive site: Pescador, south-east (night dive)
Pentaceraster tuberculatus
Red tubercled sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Jahir
Pentaceraster tuberculatus
Red tubercled sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Jahir
?
unidentified juvenile sea star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Jarijari (night dive)
family Oreasteridae
unidentified sea star
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Culcita novaeguineae
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Jarijari (night dive)
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Culcita novaeguineae
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: house reef Kubu Indah (night dive)
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Echinaster callosus
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Pulau serena
Asterophilia carlae
Carla’s scale worm,
on Echinaster luzonicus
Gili islands, Lombok, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Gili Trawangan, Stingray
Coeloplana astericola
comb jellies
on Echinaster luzonicus
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Midpoint
Coeloplana astericola
comb jellies
on Echinaster luzonicus
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: DJ point
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Echinaster luzonicus
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Seraya
Asterophilia carlae
Carla’s scale worm,
on Linckia laevigata
Lembeh, Indonesia 2006
Dive site:The new place / Fish factory
Thyca crystallina
Blue Linckia Snail
on Linckia laevigata
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Amahusu
Thyca crystallina
Blue Linckia Snail
on Linckia laevigata
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Tidore
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Linckia laevigata
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Amahusu
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Linckia laevigata
Halmahera, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: N 00.28.226 / E 128.03.402
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Nardoa novaecaledoniae
Bali, Indonesia 2009
Dive site: Turtle neck / Bloo lagoon
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Nardoa novaecaledoniae
Bali, Indonesia 2011
Dive site: Kubu, Batu kembar
Periclimenes soror
Sea star shrimp
on Protoreaster nodosus
Ambon, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Hatiwe
Amphiura sp.
Mud brittle star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2010
Dive site: Hairball (night dive)
Ophiarachna affinis cf.
?
Lembeh, Indonesia 2006
Dive site: house reef Divers Lodge Lembeh
Painted brittle star
Lembeh, Indonesia 2006
house reef Divers Lodge Lembeh (night dive)
Ophiolepis superba
Superb brittle star
Ambon Indonesia 2010
house reef Maluku divers (night dive)
Ophiothrix exigua
?
Cabilao, Philippines 2005
Dive site: Lighthouse
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2009
Dive site: Plompe toren
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2007
Dive site: Zeelandbrug
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2007
Dive site: Zeelandbrug
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2010
Dive site: Burghsluis
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2010
Dive site: Burghsluis
Ophiotrix fragilis
Common brittle star
Oosterschelde, Netherlands 2010
Dive site: Burghsluis
Ophiura texturata
Serpent star
North sea, Netherlands 2010
Dive site: Spuisluis