For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Cushion starfish (Parvulastra exigua)

Cushion starfish are small, only about 1" (2cm) in diameter at most but they come in the most amazing colours and patterns. 
Facts:

·         Cushion starfish have five short arms and thousands of small sucker-like feet, called tube feet, on their underside

·         When hungry, the cushion starfish pushes its stomach out of its body through its mouth to surround food

·         They are scavengers that feed on dead plants and animals

·         Cushion starfish mature as males at two years old and change to females at four years old

·         The females lay up to 1,000 orange eggs which then hatch into baby starfish, this often happens in our tanks so look out for tiny starfish only a couple of millimetres big
 
Info from: http://www.wemburymarinecentre.org/viewspecies.php?id=8





1 comment:

Gaelyn said...

These look like some of the ones we saw in the tidepools at Tsitsikamma.