Starfish ID

[Mark Jordan]

This starfish was sold to me as a chocolate chip but I am not sure about that. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Chocolate chip star

 

[Mark Jordan]

Ok, just never seen one with that pattern.

 

[cristata.reef]

Not quite a chocolate chip which is Protoreaster notodus. This is a Pentaceraster species. The genus is currently under taxonomic review so that's really all that can be said ID wise since we've begun to find that the best way to ID these is with genetics rather than external appearance which can be misleading. Not the most reef safe stars but still pretty neat