Earthstars

Written by Cyborg Starfish

Earthstars are a species of starfish that adapted to life on land. They are renowned (and infamous) for their resilience, their regenerative abilities and their ability to survive in even the most toxic of environments.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Much like their marine cousins, earthstars generally have five or more arms radiating from a central disk. They have microscopic eyes at the end of each arm. Earthstars have many small tubular feet underneath each arm, and a mouth located at the central disk, facing the ground. An Earthstar's entire body can be regenerated, but how long this regeneration process takes depends on which part of the body has been damaged. Severed limbs can grow back in about two moon-cycles, whereas the disk takes about an entire sun-cycle to regenerate.

In a sense, earthstars are very similar to their marine counterparts, with one exception being their eyes, which are more evolved. Another major difference is the fact that their skin is far thicker and sturdier, made from different materials than their marine counterparts and consisting of many layers. Their layered skin can be described as having somewhat of a leathery texture. A third major difference is that earthstars have blood vessels, instead of a system that circulates sea water. Earthstar blood is colourless, translucent and slightly acidic.

Genetics and Reproduction

Earthstars reproduce by splitting themselves in two. The severed disk in the middle will be the first to regenerate, followed by the missing arms. Due to them having to regenerate half of their bodies, they are never exact copies of each other.

Growth Rate & Stages

Earthstars have an average lifespan of forty sun-cycles. The older an Earthstar's becomes, the weaker its regenerative abilities.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Earthstars can eat anything that gets close to their mouths. They do not force their stomachs out of their mouths like their marine counterparts. Instead, they suck up their meals with a force so powerful that if it sucks up to a larger organism, like an Elphin, it will have to be surgically removed. Earthstars are documented to be capable of extracting nutrients even from seemingly dead grains of sand.

Behaviour

When caught by a predator, an Earthstar often severs its own limbs to get away. These limbs will grow back anyway.

Geographic Distribution

• Valahiri