Beneath the rolling tides of Florida’s coastal waters, scattered like celestial bodies in the sand, lie the sea stars—more commonly known as starfish. Despite their name, they aren’t fish at all but echinoderms, close relatives of sea urchins and sand dollars. With their slow, deliberate movements and striking symmetry, sea stars have captivated seafarers and coastal dwellers for generations, weaving their way into legends, folklore, and scientific wonder.
Florida’s Folklore and Legends
The Star of Lost Sailors
According to an old Florida coastal legend, sailors who perished at sea weren’t lost forever. Their spirits, it was said, returned to the ocean as sea stars, their arms stretching out like compass points to guide those still sailing the waters. Fishermen whispered that if you found a sea star washed up on the shore, it was a message—a reminder of the sailors who once followed the stars above, now resting beneath the waves.
The Guardian of the Tides
Indigenous lore from Florida’s coastal tribes tells of a time when the tides were unpredictable and wild, disrupting fishing and coastal life. The Great Star, an ancient sea spirit, sent its children—the sea stars—to anchor the tides and bring balance to the ocean’s rhythm. Ever since, sea stars have been considered a symbol of stability and guidance, watching over those who make their lives by the water.
Unusual and Fascinating Facts About Sea Stars
They Have No Brain, Yet They Navigate Their World Perfectly
Sea stars may lack a centralized brain, but their entire body is an intelligent system. They use a nerve ring and sensory cells to process information, react to stimuli, and even make survival decisions—like regrowing lost limbs!
They Regenerate Like Magic
A sea star can lose an arm and grow it back, sometimes taking months or even years to fully regenerate. Some species can regrow an entirely new sea star from a single severed limb, making them a symbol of resilience and renewal.
They “Taste” with Their Feet
Each of their hundreds of tiny tube feet is covered in sensory cells that allow them to “taste” their environment. These feet also help them move across the seafloor in a slow, graceful glide.
Their Arms Hold Hidden Eyes
At the tip of each arm, sea stars have tiny, light-sensitive eyespots that help them sense movement and navigate toward food and shelter. While they can’t see details like we do, they detect changes in light and shadow, helping them avoid predators.
They Can Push Their Stomachs Out of Their Bodies
Sea stars have a bizarre yet effective way of eating: they push their stomachs outside their bodies, wrap them around prey (like mussels or clams), and begin digesting their food before pulling it back inside. It’s a gruesome but efficient way to access hard-to-reach meals.
Sea Stars and Storytelling: A Symbol of Resilience
From ancient myths to modern science, sea stars represent more than just marine life—they are symbols of endurance, mystery, and guidance. Their ability to regrow, to thrive without a brain, and to move gracefully in the deep connects them to ideas of reinvention and transformation—themes that often appear in storytelling.
Next time you walk along Florida’s beaches and spot a sea star, think of the sailors, the ancient legends, and the quiet resilience of these creatures. Perhaps they have a story of their own to tell, carried by the rhythm of the tides.