Blue linckia sea stars at New Ireland in Papua New Guinea

© Jurgen Freund/Minden Picture

How sweet to be a star, floating in the blue.. Blue linckia sea stars in Papua New Guinea

In shallow portions of the tropical Indo-Pacific you’ll come across the blue linckia starfish. Often found anchored to or hiding under rocks, this duo was found in the New Ireland area of Papua New Guinea. Even though ‘blue’ is in the name, this species of starfish has also been observed in hues of purple, pink and orange. These colours make them very popular in the seashell trade, but the constant harvesting has reduced their populations. When left undisturbed, these starfish can live as long as 10 years in the wild. Scientists have studied potential anti-tumour and antibacterial properties inherent to the blue linckia.