Blue linckia

Linckia laevigata · The blue linckia is a sea star commonly found in the shallow waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific.

Also called Blue sea star, Blue starfish, Blue star.

Blue linckia
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Blue linckia
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Blue linckia
Photo: Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR., Public domain

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumEchinodermata
ClassAsteroidea
OrderValvatida
FamilyOphidiasteridae
GenusLinckia
SpeciesLinckia laevigata

Where it lives

Shallow coral reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to Hawaii.

Fun facts

  • Not every blue linckia is blue: some are aqua, purple or even orange.
  • A related sea star, Linckia multifora, can drop off arms called 'comets' that grow into new sea stars, and blue linckias are often found missing arms too.
  • Tiny Periclimenes shrimp sometimes hitch a ride on a blue linckia, picking up mucus and detritus from its surface.
  • Despite being a sea star, it can become a meal for pufferfishes, triton shells, harlequin shrimp and even some sea anemones.

Play it

The Blue linckia was the creature in a regional daily on November 1, 2026. Can you identify tomorrow's from its photos? Every day brings a new creature to place from kingdom to genus, map and name.

Play today's creature or replay a past daily

Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).