Millions of starfish killed by mysterious disease that is causing sea stars to commit suicide

Millions of starfish along the Pacific coast are dying due to a mysterious disease that causes the sea stars to devour themselves.

Scientists worked over the last two years to finally determine the origin of this weird suicide behavior.

Sea stars are indeed devouring themselves along the coastline from Mexico to Alaska due to a virus dubbed the Sea Star Associated Densovirus, or SSaDV.

This mysterious disease causes white lesions to appear before the animal’s body sags, ruptures and spills out its internal organs.

This stunning phenomenon has been called ‘the Wasting.’

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Learn more:

The Baffling, Gruesome Plague That Is Causing Sea Stars to Tear Themselves to Pieces | VICE | Canada

The Bizarre but True Story of Starfish Committing Suicide

Millions of starfish along Pacific coast are dying due to a mysterious disease that causes the sea stars to devour themselves.

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