Story: Starfish, sea urchins and other echinoderms

Cushion star (2nd of 3)

Cushion star

Cushion stars are probably the commonest starfish around the coast and are frequently found in tidal rock pools. They may be orange, brown, green, blue, purple or mottled combinations of these; their underside is pale pink. Usually they have five arms like this specimen, but some have four or six. They can grow to 10 centimetres in diameter – about the width of an adult’s hand.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Melanie Lovell-Smith

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How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff, 'Starfish, sea urchins and other echinoderms - Spiny-skinned animals', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/5188/cushion-star (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 12 Jun 2006