Starfish Regeneration

Among the amazing abilities of starfish is a remarkable talent for regeneration. A starfish that loses a ray can grow a whole new one, given time. Most species can only regenerate if the central part of the body is intact, but a few species can grow back even from a single ray. Those species, like Linckia, will regenerate several whole starfish from a single starfish that gets torn apart.
Starfish with three regenerating rays.
Linckia regenerating five rays from a single surviving ray. Specimens like this are often called "comets."

 


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Last updated January 26, 2000.