May 17, 2010

Blue wonder

I'd never seen a Blue Sea Star (Linckia laevigata) until these ones at the Manila Ocean Park. Isn't that blue just fabulous? The Linckia genus is one of those with regenerative powers. It can sever one of its arms in self-defense to escape from a predator and grow it back later (I just learned that the word for it is autotomy). It can also reproduce asexually, separating an arm which will grow four tiny stubs until the whole thing matures into another sea star. Isn't nature just so amazing?

Blue Sea Star

31 comments:

Lowell said...

I learn so much from your blog. I've never even heard of a Blue Sea Star. Incredible!

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

Nature is so amazing, we just have to let it do its thing. Beautiful blue.

Paula said...

Astounding creature. I like the way it just drapes itself over the rocks. Looks very relaxed. :)

Boom Nisanart said...

wonderful !!!! I've never seen before.thank you to share with us, Hilda

Peter said...

Yes a brilliant blue too, I thought at first you must have been scuba diving - great photo.

SFBakstad said...

That was an amazing shot! I had never heard of a blue sea star either! I'm enjoying your blog!

Anonymous said...

Truely amazing. Never heard or seen before. Thank you for the effort of teaching such beauty. Please have a wonderful start into the new week.

daily athens

Mike Rose said...

Now that is something. I have never seen one before, amazing colour.

Unknown said...

i also just did a series on the aquarium, Manila's small enough it seems to have tandem posts! but yes, i loved the blue starfish too. truly incredible what nature can come up with to make us say "wow, that is badass!"

Youth_in_Asia said...

Oh Hilda, these are incredible! I've never seen these before either. That blue is brilliant.

Tracy said...

I never would have known something so marvelous existed. Nature IS incredible and will continue to be so long after man is gone, I think.

Olivier said...

une etoile des mers bleus, elle est magnifique, je connaissais pas

Bergson said...

superbe étoile ! j'ignorais qu'il existe des bleues

brattcat said...

Ah, these are some wonderful tricks the blue starfish can do. I wonder if humans had evolved along these lines how different the world would be now.

Unknown said...

The variety of starfish shapes and colours is fantastic. Aren't these amazing?

Halcyon said...

I have never seen (or heard of) blue starfish. They do look neat, almost unreal! And nature is pretty amazing.

Lois said...

It's amazing Hilda! I didn't even know there was a blue starfish. It's a beautiful shade of blue too.

My Life as A MOM said...

Hilda, that is cool. I've never heard or seen one till now. Stupid me, thought it was a blue octopus, LOL!

Cezar and Léia said...

I dind't know it, for sure it's beautiful and your picture is fantastic!Thanks for sharing!
Léia

EG CameraGirl said...

Thia is incredible! And it really BLUE!

Kaori said...

It IS amazing and a beautiful part of nature! But there's also a girly part of me that wants to scream out "ewww!" ;-D

escape said...

i really like those blue starfish. ive seen those in manila ocean park too but never in a beach. ill be very happy when i see one in the beach.

Ken Mac said...

amazing color....almost artificial looking

James Mark said...

Brillfastic! Fantabulous!

Photo Cache said...

What an elegant creature. It doesn't look real. It's like a Pixar creation.

Have a great week.

Ursel said...

Wow, didn't know there are blue starfishes. Thanks for showing us one.

Don and Krise said...

It seems to me that I'd hear of this creature, but until now I hadn't seen one. Leave it to you Hilda, always bringing the coolest things to "Show & Tell."

Dina said...

Blue is a great color to be. :)
And what amazing things this sea star can do.

VP said...

A very elegant creature...

Louis la Vache said...

This is completely new to «Louis»!

AB said...

It is rather exotic. Did someone put ink in the water?