Marshall Islands Starfish (Asteroidea)

This page links to many of the species of seastars we have observed in the Marshalls. The various pages show considerable intraspecific color variation, but are not really intended to be an identification guide. We welcome comments and corrections at uwkwaj@yahoo.com.

Click on a thumbnail below to bring up a page with larger photos and information about that species; for variable species, several different thumbnails may load the same page.


Acanthaster solaris


Aquilonastra anomala

Aquilonastra cepheus

Aquilonastra cepheus

Aquilonastra cepheus

Asteropsis carnifera

Asteropsis carnifera

Astropecten polyacanthus

Choriaster granulatus

Choriaster granulatus
almost adult

Choriaster granulatus
juvenile

Choriaster granulatus
juvenile

Cistina columbiae

Culcita novaeguineae

Culcita novaeguineae juvenile

Culcita novaeguineae
smooth form

Dactylosaster cylindricus


Echinaster callosus

Echinaster luzonicus

Fromia milleporella

Fromia monilis

Fromia pacifica

Fromia sp. 1

Fromia sp. 2

Fromia sp. 3

Fromia sp. 4

Gomophia egyptiaca

Leiaster cf leachi

Leiaster speciosus


Linckia guildingi


Linckia laevigata

Linckia multifora

Linckia multifora

Linckia multifora

Linckia multifora

Mithrodia clavigera

Neoferdina cumingi

Neoferdina oni

Ophidiaster cribrarius?

Ophidiaster duncani

Ophidiaster granifer

Ophidiaster sp. 1

Ophidiasteridae spp.

Ophidiasteridae spp.

Ophidiasteridae spp.

Ophidiasteridae sp. 2

Ophidiasteridae sp. 3

Ophidiasteridae sp. 4

Pentaceraster? sp.

Thromidia catalai

Valvaster striatus

Valvatida sp.

Seastar unknown juvenile?
Commensal and predatory shrimp

Zenopontonia soror

Hymenocera picta

A few starfish we have seen in other areas.


Hawaiian Islands

Pohnpei, Caroline Islands

Solomon Islands

Anilao, Philippines

Bali, Indonesia

Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

California, USA

Sea of Cortez, Mexico

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Kwajalein Underwater Home

Primary references used for species identification:

Coleman (2007)
Colin & Arneson (1995)
Gosliner et al (1996)
Humann & DeLoach (2010)
Ryanskiy (2020)
Starfish website

Many thanks to Christopher Mah and Frédéric Ducarme, whose comments have made IDs on this page much more accurate. However, since I continue to fiddle with the names, any errors are sure to be mine.