5 Billion Sea Stars Have Shattered and Died Over the Past 10 Years, Scientists May Finally Know Why

NEED TO KNOW

The cause of a sea star-wasting disease was determined to be a bacterium known as Vibrio pectenicida

The disease causes sea stars to disintegrate to death in a white, goo-like substance

An estimated 95% of sunflower sea stars died during the 10-year epidemic

After an estimated 5 billion sea stars died due to a wasting disease in oceans globally, scientists have identified the root cause of the disease.

A team of researchers identified the cause as a bacterium known as Vibrio pectenicida. The team reported its findings this week in Nature Ecology & Evolution. The disease causes starfish to disintegrate into a white, slimy substance.

The disease is the largest documented epidemic for a noncommercial species, and it has affected more than 20 species of sea stars along th