Carpet Sea Star

This is a cushion star that gets its common name from its inflated, pillow-like appearance. Juveniles look like typical sea stars, but as the cushion star grows, it becomes more inflated and the arms grow together, eventually reaching a point where they are almost no longer discernible.

Habitat: Eastern and southern Australia.

Max width is 9 cm.

Flattened with seven to nine (usually eight), distinct, short arms (less than width of central disc and almost merge with disc), with acutely rounded webbed divisions between each arm.

Aboral surface with minute scale-like appearance, colour variable, including purple, green, white, yellow, orange, red, brown and grey. Patterns varying, including orange or blue arms with dark middle area.

It feeds on both on living and dead organisms such as barnacles and microscopic algae and could prey on small mollusks, fish and snails.

It is found on and under rocks in lower intertidal rock pools, to depth of 10 m.