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Glowing starfish larvae transform oceans into underwater galaxies [1]

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Date: 2025-09-03

These incredible starfish larvae look just like glowing cartoon stars. It seems like they're floating around in the bellies of jellyfish, but this is actually part of the larvae. They're just a few millimeters long, and spend this phase of their life swimming around and catching food.

The way starfish larvae swim is with the help of their cilia, which are tiny, hair-like structures. They swim around and collect nutrients for weeks until they are ready for the next phase of their lives. They then descend to the bottom of the ocean and undergo metamorphosis, transforming into juvenile starfish.

It would be so magical to see a bunch of these swimming around in the ocean while snorkeling. They are so dainty and cute. I wish big starfish could swim around like this, too, because it makes the sea look like a cartoon solar system.

See also: U.K. winter storm kills thousands of starfish

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/09/03/glowing-starfish-larvae-transform-oceans-into-underwater-galaxies.html

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