The sun starfish, Helianthoides has a lot more than
5 legs. It is a voracious predator and though slow moving, like all starfish, it is the terror of many creatures that move
even slower.
They can be a greenish brown color, as this one, but they can also be pink, purple or, less commonly, red or yellow. They have a
leathery skin which allows them to survive out of the water for prolonged periods at high tide.
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Though Sunstars, also know as "sunflower starfish", can be found in
the 4-5 inch range such as this one, most which are offered
for sell
on Ebay are quite a bit larger.
Because they can regenerate lost legs, and their lifestyle often makes this a necessity, it isn't unusual for them to have arms that
are different lengths.
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