The Granulated Cushion Star, Choriaster granulatus

The granulated cushion star , Choriaster granularis, is a large sea star sea star belonging to the Oreasteridae family (commonly known as cushion stars due to their ‘puffed up’ appearance).

A granulated sea star, Chorister granulatus, on a brightly colored coral reef, among plate corals, encrusting coralline algae and soft corals (leather corals). Bali, Indonesia. Image copyright Colin Munro Photography https://colinmunrophotography.com
A granulated sea star, Chorister granulatus, on a brightly colored coral reef, among plate corals, encrusting coralline algae and soft corals (leather corals). Bali, Indonesia.

The granulated cushion star (aka granulated starfish, granulated sea star, doughboy sea star) is widely distributed on corals reefs across the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to China and New Caledonia. They are believed to feed on coral polyps and other small marine invertebrates. They, in turn, are predated upon by the giant ball corallimorph Paracorynactis hoplites. The giant ball corallimorph, or hoplites corallimorph as it is sometimes known, is essentially a giant single polyp (corallimorphs are quite closely related to true, or reef-building corals).

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