Alarming starfish disease reaches Florida waters
This marks Florida's first confirmed case of Sea Star Wasting Disease (SSWD), a devastating condition that has plagued Pacific Ocean sea star populations for more than a decade.
The outbreak was discovered in July 2024 at Lake Worth Cove by Alex Romer, an ecologist with the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in Fort Lauderdale. While snorkeling recreationally, Romer noticed dozens of nine-armed sea stars with curled limbs, necrotic tissue and rapidly decomposing bodies.
'I'm not a marine biologist. Anyone observant enough while snorkeling could have noticed this,' Romer said. 'I just felt a responsibility to make sure it didn't go unnoticed.'
The discovery by UF/IFAS researchers marks the first documented instance of SSWD in the Atlantic Ocean and the first known case in the nine-armed sea star (Luidia senegalensis), a species common along Florida's southeastern coast.
'Documenting when and where diseases impact marine life is a critical first step to understanding their environmental causes and consequences,' said Melissa Miller, a UF/IFAS wildlife ecologist in Fort Lauderdale.
While the disease has ravaged sea star populations along the Pacific for years, its spread to the Atlantic signals a troubling ecological shift. Although nine-armed sea stars can regenerate limbs, the extreme tissue decay seen here suggests something far more severe and unnatural.
'This is now the southernmost confirmed case of SSWD in the Atlantic and adds a new species to the list of those affected,' Romer said. 'It raises new concerns about the vulnerability of Florida's marine invertebrates.'
Causes remain unclear
Lab tests did not detect densovirus, once believed to be a possible cause of SSWD. This supports the theory that environmental stressors may be driving the outbreak—factors such as above-average water temperatures, unusually low tides and polluted runoff altering salinity and water quality.
'If a pathogen is involved, it may be different from those we've seen before,' Romer added. 'Environmental stress could also be playing a major role.'
Nine-armed sea stars are key predators and scavengers. By disturbing seabed sediments while feeding, they help maintain ecological balance. Their loss could lead to algae overgrowth and the collapse of seagrass habitats critical to juvenile fish.
'Less sediment movement means more algae, less seagrass, and fewer nursery areas for sport fish,' Romer said.
Public help urged
UF/IFAS scientists are asking the public to report any sightings of sick or dead marine life to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 888-404-FWCC (3922), or on platforms like iNaturalist.
'Public observations are our early warning system,' Romer said. 'If you're visiting natural areas, bring a camera and stay alert. Your report could make a difference.'
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