大象传媒

Some people call them sea-stars, others call them starfish. However you refer to them, they are mostly found on the bottom of the world's ocean.

There are some 2,000 different species but, according to new research led by Cornell University, some of these species now stand at the brink of extinction, because they are literally drowning. Scientists found that a combination of warming seas and an explosion of algae blooms is leaving starfish with not enough oxygen to survive.

Ian Hewson, professor of microbiology at the university, says they're key to the ocean biosystem:

"They are like the lions on the savannahs in Africa. They are extremely important. They might not be that abundant but they do play very significant ecological roles. And they're also incredibly charismatic... everybody knows starfish."

(Photo: starfish. Credit: Getty Images)