A desiccated starfish lies on textured beach sand. The dried specimen shows detailed surface texture against the granular sand background.

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Photograph by David Coleman. The stark image captures a sun-dried starfish specimen against fine beach sand, revealing the vulnerability of marine life when separated from its ocean habitat. The starfish's dried condition emphasizes its structural details, with its texture contrasting against the granular sand beneath. This natural still life presents both the beauty and fragility of marine organisms, while documenting a common occurrence along shorelines worldwide. The specimen's preserved state allows clear observation of the starfish's anatomical features, creating an impromptu natural history study that speaks to the cycle of life and death in coastal ecosystems.

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Size: 3872px × 2592px
Location: Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, United States
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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