Jan 16, 2025 · Sea stars along much of the North American Pacific coast experienced a massive die-off in 2013/14 due to a mysterious wasting syndrome. The disease, called “sea star wasting syndrome” (SSWS) has persisted at low levels in most areas, and continues to kill sea stars.

Sea star wasting disease or starfish wasting syndrome is a disease of starfish and several other echinoderms that appears sporadically, causing mass mortality of those affected. [1] There are approximately 40 species of sea stars that have been affected by this disease.

Jul 19, 2023 · This mortality event impacted 20 species of sea stars from Mexico to Alaska and decimated many sea star populations across the northern Gulf of Alaska. Symptoms of sea star wasting syndrome include abnormally twisted arms, white lesions, deflation of arms and body, arm loss, and body disintegration.

Sea stars are dying off at dramatic rates across the West Coast from Baja California in Mexico to Alaska. The wasting disease that is affecting sea stars also is not specific to one species: more than 20 sea star species have been affected so far.

Jan 30, 2019 · Since 2013, a sea star wasting disease has affected >20 sea star species from Mexico to Alaska. The common, predatory sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), shown to be highly susceptible to sea star wasting disease, has been extirpated across most of its range.

Jan 19, 2021 · For more than seven years, a mysterious wasting disease has nearly killed off sea star populations worldwide. Many of these species are at the brink of extinction. New Cornell University -led research supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation suggests that starfish, victims of sea star wasting disease, may actually be in respiratory ...

Nov 17, 2014 · Sea star wasting disease widespread along West Coast. At the beginning of September 2013, a die-off of starfish was reported off the coast of British Columbia. The seabed was strewn with disintegrating sunflower stars and morning sun stars. By November 2013, ochre stars, usually common on mussel beds in places like California's Natural Bridges ...

Oct 26, 2021 · As the disease progresses, sea stars often lose arms and can have a jelly-like appearance. Death can occur within a few days of the initial signs of infection. This disease has been observed in several locations in southeast Alaska, and more recently in Western Prince William Sound and Kachemak Bay.

Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) describes a suite of disease signs believed to have led to catastrophic die-offs in many asteroid species, beginning in 2013. While most studies have focused on large, easily visible sea stars with widely-dispersing ...

Feb 19, 2021 · We now understand that bacterial growth accelerated by increased water temperatures is likely the cause and that the disease is probably not transmissible/infectious toward other sea stars. So, what are the real-life implications of a mass sea star die-off in the ocean and what can we do about it?