Chocolate Chip Sea Star

The chocolate chip sea star earns its name from the distinctive dark knobby projections covering its reddish or orange body, creating a bumpy, studded appearance. Found on rocky reefs and rubble areas across the Indo-Pacific region, it moves slowly across the seafloor foraging for small prey and detritus. Divers often spot this stocky five-armed starfish at night when it becomes more active, though it can be encountered during the day tucked into crevices or under rocks.