Cushion Stars - tiny starfish that lay eggs!

Episode 12: Cushion Stars
Most starfish are broadcast spawners but these tiny dwarf cushion stars are different! They lay eggs on the undersides of rocks that hatch out into minute fully formed cushion stars.
These animals are also super well disguised and each one seems to have a unique pattern on the east coast - while all the west coast cushion stars are universally green - and we still don't know why!
Discover more about these small pentagonal starfish and leave any questions in the comments for our next Q&A episode.
Stay up to date!
Follow us on Instagram for more:
/ explore_theshore
Filmed in: Kleinmond, Sea Point & Kalk Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.
00:00 Introduction to cushion stars
00:38 Small starfish like creatures disguised on rocks
00:50 What we don't know about dwarf cushion stars - why are some green and others patterned?
01:22 What do cushion stars eat?
02:05 Are there different types of cushion star?
02:21 Granular cushion star
02:30 How cushion stars reproduce
03:15 Do any types of starfish lay eggs onto rocks?
03:35 Super cute baby cushion stars - mini starfish!

[@devonswildlife]

Awesome videos!

[@altafhassan3522]

Does starfish go like a worm hand

[@estelledavies2477]

Thanks for this. Quick question. The swarf starfish that lays eggs onto the rock, how are the eggs fertilised?

[@ExploreTheShore]

Dwarf Cushion stars display a behaviour known as broadcast spawning - females release eggs, and males release sperm, all simultaneously! So, all the action happens outside of their bodies. Many intertidal species have the same way of breeding; check out our episode on mussels, where Charles explains the same reproductive strategy. We hope this helps :)