Pycnopodia helianthoides starfish

Description:

The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) is a large predatory sea star usually with 1624 limbs called rays. It is the largest sea star in the world. Sunflower sea stars can grow to have an arm span of 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) in diameter.[2] The color of the sunflower sea star ranges from bright orange, yellow and red to brown and sometimes to purple, with soft, velvet-textured bodies and 1624 arms with powerful suckers.[2][3] Most sea star species have a mesh-like skeleton that protects their internal organs.[4] Easily stressed by predators such as large fish and other sea stars, they can shed arms to escape, which will grow back within a few weeks. They are preyed upon by the king crab.[4]