Cushion Star

3D Model

Oreaster reticulatus - This specimen is commonly known as a cushion sea star and is a marine invertebrate species. This starfish is in the family Oreasteridae and has a color that varies from orange to brown, yellow or red. The cushion star has knobby spines on top and rows of suctioned tube feet on the bottom of each arm. The cushion star is found in calm, shallow, subtropical, and tropical waters. Because this starfish is larger in size and can be colorful, it is easily seen and often exploited by souvenir hunters. It is illegal to take this species from Florida waters.

The Florida Biodiversity Collections at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) are used by scientists and students as guides as they identify animals collected during research, as sources for research material, or for educational exhibits.