Our native Eleven Armed Seastar

This is an Eleven Armed Seastar (Coscinasterias muricata), an important keystone species native to Port Phillip Bay. In our area they tend to be mottled brown and usually have 11 arms (though it can vary from 7-14 arms).

Sadly, many people (particularly fishermen) mistake them for the Crown-of-thorns starfish and will leave them to die on the pier. If you see one out of the water, please carefully pick it up and return it to the sea.

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