Cushion star
Asterina gibbosa
IUCN Status:Not Evaluated
What do they look like?
This small, thick starfish has five short arms and looks like a cushion, hence the name! You can find them under rocks or in crevices in rockpools. While their colour varies, they are usually pale orange, brown, green or cream.
Where can they be found?
Found on the western and southern coasts of the UK.
Key facts
Cushion stars are echinoderms, which means ‘spiny skinned’ and their body is covered in short, orange spines. Their ventral surface is flat, with the mouth at the centre. Each of the mouth’s plates bear two spines.
Cushion stars have multiple tube feet on their underside which they use to slowly move across the seafloor. They feed by inverting their stomach to digest food.
| IUCN status | Not Evaluated |
|---|---|
| Size | 5cm in diameter |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Speed and distance | Slow moving, at approximately 2.5cm a minute. |
| Habitat | Found in rockpools but also in the sea at depths of up to 18m. |
| Diet | Will eat just about anything they can get that isn’t alive – from dead crabs, sponges, scallops and seaweed. |
| Lifespan | Up to 7 years |
