Marine scientists find millions of tiny starfish inhabiting undersea volcano

Marine scientists surveying a large undersea mountain chain were amazed to find millions of tiny starfish swirling their arms to capture food in the undersea current. About 19 scientists studied the biology and geology of eight Macquarie Ridge sea mounts. These sea mounts are part of a string of underwater volcanoes that stretch 875 miles from New Zealand toward Antarctica. Marine biologist Ashely Rowden said: “It was unique in that it hasn’t been found on the tops of sea mounts before … (and) it was over a relatively large area” of about 60 square miles. The starfish are about 0.4 inch across, with arms about 2 inches long. Fewer than 200 of the world’s estimated 100,000 sea mounts that rise more than a half a mile above the sea floor have been studied in any detail.

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