Freak Of Nature?

[SCUBA Fletch]

Just a fun photo to share... I was actually snorkeling when I shot this photo, but thought it was odd to see a 4-legged sea star. Not a leg that was cut off or regenerating, but just 4 legs. Kind of like finding a "marine" 4-leaf clover.

 

[TMHeimer]

Have you determined the species? Is it really an oddity within a species or just a 4 legged species of which is very low in numbers?

 

[SCUBA Fletch]

I don't know - but I saw many others that appeared to be the same species with 5 legs... Good question. Here's a couple of other shots. One appears to be the same, another has the same features, but different colors / camouflage.

 

[CuzzA]

Looks like a Bahama Starfish that was born that way. Should have 5 arms.

 

[g1138]

Genetic mutations during development can create 4 legs when there should be 5 normally.
Same way some humans can be born with an extra digit or lack the usual 10 & 10.

It's not usually environmental conditions but just DNA errors that manifest into a physical trait. A typo when the parental genes get copied & pasted to form the baby sea star.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I've seen one or two in the course of my diving. But I dive also where there tends to be a lot of cushion stars..

 

[SCUBA Fletch]

Interesting answers... thanks!
The spiral egg case that I posted the other day was one of the strangest things I've seen diving in a long time. I literally had never seen anything like it - but thanks to another Scubaboard member, the mystery was solved.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Was thinking of this thread yesterday during a dive at BHB. There was a 7 armed sea star!!!! Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me..

 

[SCUBA Fletch]

There is a species that is actually named for it's seven arms - Seven Armed Starfish - Luidia ciliaris. And I'm sure you're familiar with the Crown of Thorns Crown-of-thorn sea star which has many legs, too. The thing that made this one interesting to me was that I've seen a multitude of the 5-legged ones in this species, but never a 4-legged one - and it reminded me of a 4-leaf clover of the sea .

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

nope nope. nope. It was a cushion star. the 7 arm and 9 arm are completely different species..