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Description:
The cushioned star is one of the most distinctive species of sea stars
in Florida waters and is easily identified due to its large size, inflated
central disk, and the heavy plates, which form a network of tubercles over
the entire dorsal surface. Adults may reach 20 inches in diameter.
There are 5 arms, which are short and taper away from the center of the
body. Tips of the arms often curl upward. The underside of the
animal is flat, and beige or cream colored. The ambulacral grooves
accommodating the tube feet are covered by a double set of blunt spines.
Body color is generally tan or orange to brick red, with lighter colored
tubercles and spines. Juveniles tend to be light green.
Habitat:
Cushioned stars prefer shallow, calm waters of reef flats, mangrove
creeks, and lagoons. They are typically found in seagrass meadows and
sand bottoms.
Range:
Cushioned stars range from North Carolina and Bermuda,
to the Bahamas. They are also known to occur in the Cape Verde
Islands, off Western Africa.
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The cushoined star, Oreaster reticulatus. Photo by J. Miller, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution; Courtesy
of D. Pawson, National Museum of Natural History. Used with permission.
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Despite their large size, cushioned stars generally feed on microorganisms
and the particulate matter available in sand and seagrasses. They also
prey upon other echinoderms. After prey is captured, the stomach is
everted from the animal over the food item. Digestion thus occurs
outside the body.
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