Postcard from the Reef – Cushion Star

I have occasionally seen these starfish tucked into the coral by day. When you see just a small part of the animal it is not immediately recognizable as a starfish, just a lump of something that does not match. They emerge at night to feed on the coral itself. Once in the open the five-fold symmetry begins to suggest that you might be looking at a starfish…

Cushion Star
A cushion star (Culcita novaeguineae) on the sand at 40′ depth, Mahukona