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Oreaster reticulatus

Oreaster reticulatus

(Linnaeus, 1758)
Estrella Cojín

Family: Oreasteridae
Order: Valvatida
Class: Asteroidea
Phylum / Division: Echinodermata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Oreaster reticulatus, commonly known as the red cushion sea star or the West Indian sea star, is a species of marine invertebrate, a starfish in the family Oreasteridae. It is found in shallow water in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

 The red cushion star is the largest sea star found within its range, sometimes growing to about 50 cm in diameter. It usually has five thick, broad arms projecting from a broad cushioned disc but some specimens have four, six or seven. The upper surface is hard and is covered with blunt spines. The color of adults is some shade of red, orange, yellow or brown. The juveniles are greenish-brown with mottled markings.

Distribution and habitat: The red cushion star occurs in many regions of the Western Central Atlantic, including the Bahamas, Cape Frio, Cape Hatteras, the Caribbean Sea, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Guyanas and Yucatán. Adults are usually found on sandy bottoms and coral rubble at depths of up to 37 m while juveniles inhabit seagrass meadows where their colouring helps provide camouflage. In the winter, the red cushion star migrates to offshore locations with little water movement in order to avoid turbulence.

Biology: The red cushion star is an omnivore and feeds on the seabed sediment and the epiphytic algae, sponges and small invertebrates it finds there. It rakes together heaps of sediment and then turns its cardiac stomach inside out and engulfs the mass. Edible sponge species are chosen in preference to other prey and tend to be eliminated from areas where the starfish abound.

The sexes are separate in the red cushion star. In subtropical areas it breeds in the summer, but in more tropical locations it breeds all year. Large numbers of individuals may collect together in one location at breeding time with densities sometimes reaching fourteen per square metre (yard). This concentration of individuals enhances the chance of fertilization when the gametes are liberated into the sea. The larvae form part of the zooplankton and drift with the currents. After passing through several developmental stages they settle on the seabed, usually among seagrass, and undergo metamorphosis into juvenile starfish.

Harvesting: Harvesting Oreaster reticulatus is illegal in some places including Florida waters.

Source: Wikipedia, article Oreaster reticulatus. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 18/07/2026.





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Species photographs

Count: 2

Foto
Photography ID: 665846
  Adult

Cayo Largo
Isla de la Juventud
Cuba
02/04/2012
Eugenia Boggiano


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Species records

Count: 3



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
242002723/01/202614:02PanamaBocas del ToroParque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos, Bastimentos IslandSantiago Juan Torres
180473522/07/2023ColombiaSan Andrés y ProvidenciaManglares de Old Point, San AndrésHugo Caverzasi
241060304/02/2012CubaIsla de la JuventudCayo LargoEugenia Boggiano
Page 1 of 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Oreaster reticulatus – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 15/09/2026.