This sea star is considered a good bioindicator species for reef health, meaning that it is so closely associated to the health conditions of the reef that its presence, or lack thereof, reveals how healthy the reef is.
The chocolate chip sea star are known as extra-oral feeders, meaning their stomach is pushed out of their mouth and into direct contact with the food outside of the sea star’s body. Once the food has been digested by the stomach, the stomach will re-enter the body through the sea star’s mouth.
The chocolate chip sea star’s population has not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As a result, the current status of the population is unknown.