This Zoroaster sea star was imaged during the second dive at Titov Seamount of this expedition. Note the bristling series of spines present along the arm radius as well as along the sides of the arms. These aren't casual or fragile structures; I've worked with these starfish specimens on ships and in museums—the spines are quite sharp and can penetrate thin rubber gloves.
Sea Star
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific MPAs. Download larger version (jpg, 1.6 MB).

This Zoroaster sea star was imaged during the second dive at Titov Seamount of this expedition. Note the bristling series of spines present along the arm radius as well as along the sides of the arms. These aren't casual or fragile structures; I've worked with these starfish specimens on ships and in museums—the spines are quite sharp and can penetrate thin rubber gloves.

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