The ocean is a huge place, and it has animals that are so amazing that some of them look like food, especially a popular Italian delicacy.

A team of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Ekeanos Explorer got to face a starfish that looks like stuffed ravioli pasta.

According to reports, the researchers came across the starfish when they were studying coral reefs and marine animals in the southeast coast of the United States of America.

Chris Mah, a sea life expert, said it is completely important for a starfish to look like this.

Talking about the starfish, Mah said, “One of the sea star species we’ve encountered most frequently so far has been this goniasterid sea star, Plinthaster dentatus, sometimes called a ‘cookie’ or ‘ravioli’ star. This species stands out because the arms and disk are nearly confluent, thus presenting a more pentagonal shape relative to other sea stars.”

Chris added, “This species has been recorded in many trawl-collected specimen records in the past, but perhaps what makes our observations of this species here SO significant is the numerous FEEDING observations that have been made.”

The first ravioli shaped starfish was discovered in 1888.

According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the biology of the animal has been mysterious.

This was the first time that the ravioli looking starfish was studied alive.

This species was first described by Chris back in 2010 after it was collected by Martha Nizinski, a biologist.

Chris said, “This species was hypothesized to be a coral predator when I described it based on fragments found in its gut, but now we have solid evidence of this species feeding on a primnoid octocoral! This was the FIRST time it’s been seen alive!”