Florida starfish

As we searched the low tide sandy areas of Three Sisters Islands my son called me over to see this five-legged sea star which I have since learned is called a Lined Sea Star. I’ve never seen a sea star, or starfish, while out on the boat, nor have I found one anyplace else on my Florida seashore travels along the central east coast.

This one was damaged and missing one-half of two legs with another leg broken and ready to detach. What was interesting was the star shapes next to him. The sea star was not moving and when we carefully touched him. I’m pretty sure he was dead, but they do move very slowly, so maybe not. I know next to nothing about them.

According to my Florida’s Living Beaches book (affiliate link to Amazon’s 2nd Edition of this book), the area of Florida where this sea star is usually found is not where I live. I was surprised to see it, and sorry that it seemed to be dead, or at the very least, in distress.

Either he flipped himself around and left these star shapes in the sand, or a predator did it. It’s a mystery. (Lot’s of things eat starfish. Fish, turtles, birds, and marine snails, to name a few.)

I took this photo, then moved him carefully to the deeper pool of water nearby, thinking he may have needed water. We see a lot of birds on this island, so maybe a bird snatched him up from somewhere and he died here. Or maybe he was having trouble moving with two legs partially missing! They can grow their legs back, so there is hope for him I suppose.

A few weeks later I also found a tiny sea star in this same area.

A lined seastar — Lined seastar – a rare sight in this area

This Lined Sea Star (Luidia clathrata) was aproximately 6 inches in size. The legs were very stiff and the color was slightly pinkish. I wish he had been alive, and he could have been, but just seeing a sea star out on the sand was quite an experience for me.

I also found a pretty awesome horse conch that was larger than the usual tiny specimens that the hermits occupy.

One of the first “seashells” I wrote about on this blog was the starfish. However, it is not a seashell but echinoderm and is related to the sea urchin, sea cucumber and sand dollar. In other words, they don’t have a hard shell. If you find dried starfish, they can break easily.

Where I live in Florida I have never found a starfish, living or dead. But the State Park I visit has specimens of Florida starfish under glass. In fact, near the rest rooms, they have all kinds of dried and dead things. One item looked like the huge head of a sea turtle! I should have taken a photo – maybe next time.

Starfish under glass at Smyrna Dunes Park — Locally found starfish

Starfish live offshore, as do most mollusks with shells. But starfish and other echinoderms are not as sturdy as a hard shell and therefore most likely break apart because of wave action once they are dead. I find pieces of sand dollars near Ponce Inlet and sometimes at the drive-on ocean beach, but I think dead starfish are pulverized before they get to the beach.

My Drawings Are Free For Personal Use

Please help yourself to the printable images below and maybe use them as a teaching page / coloring page for the kids. As long as you do not sell my images, use them as you please. Make copies for friends and classroom use. A link back here is appreciated when the chance arises.

I’m no expert on marine life, and certainly not on starfish. The Florida Fish and Wildlife site has a full page, with photos of living creatures and links to each Marine Life Invertebrates including a few starfish. It’s an interesting page.