Baby sea stars eat their siblings in what is an unexpected case of underwater cannibalism, according to scientists who accidentally observed the behaviour.
Experts from William & Mary s Department of Biology were trying to see how baby sea stars would react when a crab was introduced to their tank, but they started eating each other before the predator was introduced.
Forbes sea stars are found on the East Coast of the US, the juveniles are about 1mm in diameter (0.04 inches) and adults can reach up to 5.9 inches in diameter.
To grow, the juveniles must eat, and the study authors found that young sea stars often turn on each other, with the larger creatures targeting their smaller siblings.