• Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Echinodermata
  • Subphylum: Asterozoa
  • Class: Asteroidea
  • Order: Valvatida
  • Family: Goniasteridae
  • Scientific name: Ceramaster granularis
  • Norwegian: sjøkjeks

Characteristics:

It has five short arms and a large central disk. It should not be possible to confuse it with any other sea star in Norwegian waters. It lacks the short spines of the rigid cushion star. The color is red or orange. It can grow to a diameter of 8 cm. The cushion star is a hermaphrodite but does not self-fertilize. Eggs are laid on the ground where they develop into larvae and eventually hatch as small sea stars.

Habitat:

It can be found on depths between 10 and 100 meters, usually on hard sea floor.

Distribution:

It can be found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean.