Sea Stars Get a Check-Up

Each year, WCS scientists author or co-author nearly 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3 Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet – in bite sized helpings – of some of this published work.

1. Sea star wasting disease has killed millions of seas starts along the Pacific coast since 2013, so there is a need for diagnostic tests to evaluate their health. 
2. Researchers used a non-invasive technique that is used to access the body fluid of sea stars and tested it on 26 sea stars in aquaria. 
3. The results provided a useful baseline and diagnostic tool for health assessments of sea stars. 
WCS Media Contact:  Stephen Sautner, 7182203682, [email protected]

Study and Journal:  “Coelomic fluid evaluation in clinically normal ochre sea stars Pisaster ochraceus: Cell counts, cytology, and biochemistry reference intervals”   from  Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 
WCS Co-Author(s):  Harley Newton , WCS Zoological Health Program’s Aquatic Animal Medicine and Pathology Department