Pentaceraster cumingi
Pentaceraster cumingi, sometimes known as the Panamic cushion star, Cortez starfish or knobby star (a name also used for other species), is a species of starfish in the family Oreasteridae. It is found in warmer parts of the East Pacific (Gulf of California to northwest Peru, including offshore islands like the Galápagos) and in Hawaii. In Panama this species has been collected from the Pearl Islands (depth 8 m), Gulf of Panama, and off Coiba Island, Gulf of Chiriqui. It reaches a diameter of about . Distribution and habitat. "P. cumingi" is found along the coasts of the Tropical  Eastern Pacific and beyond, ranging as far north as the Gulf of California and as far south as the coast of northern Peru. It inhabits the shallow sub-tidal zone, usually in rocky terrain. Diet. "P. cumingi" primarily feeds by scavenging and through a carnivorous diet. Its diet consists of ocean floor algae, microscopic organisms, and seagrass. On occasion, "P. cumingi" has been known to eat other echinoderms. Reproduction. "P. cumingi" reproduces either sexually or asexually. It is gonochoric (having separate sexes). Asexual reproduction, which results in a clonal offspring, occurs by fission, splitting the central disc. Ornamentation. The skeleton  of this species is commonly used for ornamentation and sold as a souvenir in Peru and Mexico. The "P. cumingi" population has greatly decreased in Peru because of their use as souvenirs, and "P. cumingi" is now considered close to extinction in this country. The population size in Mexico is unknown.