Eleven Armed Seastar
When we researched this Seastar, we didn't think it could possibly be an Eleven Armed Seastars as it only has 9 arms. We stupidly thought that Eleven Armed Seastars would have 11 arms. Actually they can have any number from 7 to 14 arms - so this is a 9 armed, Eleven Armed Seastar, Confused?... we are.
But there's more to this seastar than just a confusing name. It might actually be the oldest creature on the planet.
Some Seastars know the secret to immortality; to reproduce, they don't need a partner, they just pull a leg off and are born again as the separated leg. They even grow a new leg to replace the missing one.
The separated leg grows between 6 to 13 new arms and then when the new Seastar is ready to be born again it just pulls another one off. This can alledegly go on for all eternity, but unfotunately all the scientists studying them have died of old age, so we are not 100% sure. As we so often say, you can't make this stuff up.