Scientific name : Culcita novaeguineae
Family : Echinoderms (sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers…)
Size : Up to 40 cm
Distribution : Tropical Pacific
Biology : The cushion star is so massive that the shape of its arms is barely distinguishable. It feeds mainly on corals, but does not cause major damage to reefs, unlike its cousin, the crown-of-thorns starfish.
To defend itself, it releases toxins, some of which have antifungal or antitumour properties.
IUCN status : Not assessed