Pincushion Starfish
Culcita novaeguineae · kul-SY-ta noh-vee-GIN-ee-eye
diurnalsolitaryNot Evaluated
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Superpower
Inflates into a plump cushion, so round its five arms almost vanish.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 15 cm, up to 30 cm
- Lifespan
- 5–10 years
- Depth
- 1–30 m
Habitat
Coral reefs and rubble.
Diet
Coral polyps, algae and detritus.
Can I eat it?
No — this one is not eaten.
Fun facts
- As an adult it looks like a fat pentagon, not a star.
- Tiny pearlfish sometimes shelter inside it.
- Young ones look like ordinary flat starfish.