Anyone know what this little critter is?

[orangeBloke]

Took it a couple of weeks back in Indonesia. It's about 3-4cm long (1 - 1.5 inches).
I can't find it in my books so I though someone on here is bound to know

Thanks

 

[DennisW]

I haven't a clue, but it almost looks like a piece of a sea star. I will be interested in what everyone thinks this is.

 

[jlyle]

I concur with Dennis. It's one arm of a sea star, trying to grow some more.

 

[Mako Mark]

I would have to have a closer look at its underside, but could it be a juvinile beche de mer (sea cucumber)? The three little things on the left end could be the mouthparts, but it is hard to see from just this one photo. There is also something that looks suspiciously like a bum on the other end and as far as I know sea stars dont have those on the end of their arms.

Pretty colours what ever it is.

 

[Scuba_John]

I cant finnd the post but we had a simular question just a few days ago. I would say that while it appears to be a sea cucumber or something of the same species, it is highly likely that it is a starfish. Some species are known to break off and form a whole creature as a form of reproduction. Dont ask what species because I do not know I just know it happens. The other option is that while it may be unwillingly having to regrow the rest of its arms as it become someone lunch!
So I would say Starfish reaching for the stars

 

[Scuba_John]

Ok I found it take a look
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=62009
lets see what everyone else thinks

 

[orangeBloke]

Unfortunately this is the only shot I have, there was another but it was too blurred.
It could be a starfish arm but I saw 3 of them each in a different site so that makes me think that it may be something else

 

[justleesa]

I think it's a starfish too...Found what a whole one looks like too!
http://www.starfish.ch/index.html
Well dang, that didn't work.

It's called a Multi-pore sea star - Linckia multifora and looks like this \/

 

[orangeBloke]

Thanks Leesa. I think you're right. I looked up Linckia multifora and notice that it can regenerate a new body from one arm.

"Linckia seastars usually have five arms, but specimens with four, six, or even one are also found. This variability is a result of this species exceptional ability to regenerate damaged arms and/or to shed individual arms as a means of asexual reproduction....While seastars are well known for their regenerative abilities, most need part of the central disc to survive. Linckia species are among just a few seastars that can regenerate an entire star from a single arm."
From http://waquarium.otted.hawaii.edu/M.../Invertebrates/Echinoderms/LinckiaSeastar.pdf

That might explain what the little blue tips are at the fatter end. Could be new arms growing.

So not quite the critter I waqs expecting but still a picture I think I'll keep
Thanks everyone for the help