Cushion star

Scientific name : Choriaster granulatus

Large sea star, with 5 conical, short and thick arms. Background colour is pink, with clusters of small brown papillae in the central part. 25 cm diameter.
Encountered in the back reef, reef front, external reef, often in areas of rubble and detritus. Feeding on detritus and dead animals.
Culcita cushion stars have shorter arms and a pentagonal shape. Thromidia catalai, larger, has papillae on all the surface and darker arm tips.
Sperm emission in a male Choriaster granulatus. Starfishes have external fecundation and synchronous sperm and egg emission.

Associated organisms
The commensal shrimp Periclimenes soror is found often under this star. A commensal fish of the genus Carapus can live in the digestive system, going in and out from the mouth.

Cushion star Author FEDERICO BETTI Place: Indonesia, Manado Id: 1

	Description	Author	Place	Size
	Choriaster granulatus	DANIELE IOP	Indonesia, Lembeh strait	439 kB