Common Starfish
Asterias rubens
Habitat: Rock pools to low shore and rocky reef
Depth: 0-200m
Food: Snails and mussels and clams
Size: Up to 15cm across
Lifespan: Unknown
Conservation Status: Data Deficient (DD)
Common starfish are hungry predators of mussels and other molluscs on the rocky shore. Their 5 arms have hundreds of suckered tube feet on the underside to help them cling to rocks and move about. Starfish prise open mussels’ shells with their tube feet and then stick their stomach inside out to digest their food. If a starfish loses an arm, it can grow a new one!