Blood sea star

Sea stars reproduce sexually. Fertilization occurs externally, preceded by spawning behavior from males and females grouped together. Mating takes place in the spring (March or April).

During reproduction, the female protects the fertilized eggs on her ventral side until they hatch. Females incubate around 300 eggs.

After hatching, juveniles immediately settle on the seabed without going through a pelagic larval phase (free-floating in the ocean). From birth, they look like miniature versions of adults.