Science Weekly A decade long mystery - why were billions of starfish turned to goo?
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Aug 26, 2025 Melanie Prentice, a researcher at the University of British Columbia and the Hakai Institute, dives into the decade-long enigma of sea star wasting disease. She reveals how her team identified the pathogen, vibriopectin acida, behind the alarming decline of the sunflower sea star. The impact on marine ecosystems is profound, with a 90% population loss disrupting ecological balance. Prentice also discusses the connection between rising ocean temperatures and marine pathogens, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to restore these vital creatures.
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Observers Saw Stars Turn To Goo
- Divers and beachgoers watched sea stars twist, lose arms and then vanish into piles of goo in days.
- Observers reported returning to favorite beaches to find previously healthy stars completely dissolved within 24 hours.
Scale Of The Epidemic
- Sea star wasting disease became the largest recorded marine epidemic, wiping out billions of individuals across species.
- Sunflower sea stars lost over 90% of their population, driving the species to critically endangered status.
Sunflower Stars: Big Mobile Predators
- Sunflower sea stars can reach a meter across with up to 24 arms and move about a meter per minute to hunt prey.
- They are voracious predators, eating urchins, mussels and clams, and reproduce by broadcast spawning.
