Sea Star Fun Facts!

• There are more than 2,000 species of sea stars. 
• They aren't fish. Sea stars lack a number of fishy anatomical features, including gills, scales or fins. They’re invertebrates and are related to sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Since they aren’t fish, they shouldn't be called “starfish,” so “sea stars” is a more appropriate term.
• They don’t have fins, so they can’t swim around like fish can! However, that doesn’t mean they can’t move around.
• They have 2 stomachs.
• They can live for up to 35 years in the wild.
• The blue starfish has a bright blue or light blue body. The animals get their colour from a blue pigment called linckiacyanin and some accessory yellow carotenoids. The blue starfish has 5 cylindrical arms with rounded tip and it may grow up to 30-40 cm in diameter. It’s particularly common in shallow water, but is found as deep as 50 m.
• They can have more than 5 arms. We always picture them with a total of five arms, however there are some species with 10, 20 or even 50 arms. 
• The have the ability to regrow body parts.
• Thorny sea stars are a species of sea star found in the Indo Pacific regions. They have rows of spikes or 'horns' on their backs hence their name Thorny! The dark protrusions on their back are a great form of defence against predators and scare predators away by their frightening appearance.

Come and check them out in our Tidal Touchpool.