Are there male and female starfish?

Starfish, or sea stars, are not strictly male or female. They are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both male and female reproductive organs.

However, they don't self-fertilize. They usually reproduce through external fertilization, where a female releases eggs into the water and a male releases sperm, with fertilization occurring in the open ocean.

Some species of starfish can also reproduce asexually through fission, where they split into two or more individuals.