Common sunstar
Crossaster papposus
IUCN Status:Not Evaluated
One of the most colourful starfish in northern Europe, this beautiful bully has an insatiable appetite.
What do they look like?
Common sunstars are a type of starfish. Often striking orange or red, with pale stripes and a bulky appearance, they have 9-13 arms which look like sunrays, hence the name. Common sunstars are believed to be one of the most colourful starfish in northern Europe.
Where can they be found?
Unlike some starfish, common sunstars only stay in deep waters along the seabed. It is worth learning to scuba dive just to see them in person!
Did you know... Common sunstars do not like to share their meals. They will often push other starfish away from their prey and in some cases may even decide to trap it and eat them instead!
Key facts
Like other starfish, they have no bones and can regenerate lost limbs
Though they might seem lovely to look at, and are no threat to us, common sunstars are in fact voracious predators and will actively hunt down its prey unlike other starfish species. They eat by holding their prey with suckered tube feet, then turning out their stomach through their mouth and releasing digestive juices to dissolve the victim! Though they might seem scary for things smaller than them, they are not an apex predator and are often hunted by larger animals such as fish and crabs.
| IUCN status | Not Evaluated |
|---|---|
| Diet | The common sunstar is a fierce predator, it actively hunts sea cucumbers, brittlestars, starfish, and even other sunstars as it patrols the seabed. |
| Size | Common sunstars usually have an arm span of around 20–40 cm long. Thats around the width of an adult tennis racket head. |
| Weight | Common sunstars are usually between 0.2-0.8kg but some have been thought to weigh up to 1kg. If they were picked up out of the water, they may feel heavier as they are less buoyant. |
| Speed and distance | Despite the misconception that starfish don't move, the common sunstar can actually move surprisingly fast, travelling more than five metres in around twelve hours as it searches for prey. |
| Lifespan | It is thought that common sunstars can live for over a decade. |
