▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁internal ▁hydro static ▁balance . ▁The ▁sea ▁star ▁los es ▁its ▁g rip ▁on ▁the ▁substr ate . ▁The ▁body ▁structure ▁begins ▁to ▁break ▁down , ▁signs ▁of ▁stretch ing ▁appear ▁between ▁the ▁arms ▁which ▁may ▁tw ist ▁and ▁fall ▁off , ▁and ▁the ▁animal ▁dies . ▁The ▁arms ▁may ▁continue ▁to ▁craw l ▁around ▁for ▁a ▁while ▁after ▁being ▁shed . ▁Pro gression ▁of ▁these ▁events ▁can ▁be ▁rapid , ▁leading ▁to ▁death ▁within ▁a ▁few ▁days . ▁ ▁A ▁def l ated ▁appearance ▁can ▁preced e ▁other ▁morph ological ▁signs ▁of ▁the ▁disease . ▁All ▁of ▁these ▁sympt oms ▁are ▁also ▁associated ▁with ▁ordinary ▁attributes ▁of ▁un he alth y ▁stars ▁and ▁can ▁arise ▁when ▁an ▁individual ▁is ▁str and ed ▁too ▁high ▁in ▁the ▁inter tid al ▁zone ▁( for ▁example ) ▁and ▁simply ▁des ic c ates . ▁" True " ▁was ting ▁disease ▁will ▁be ▁present ▁in ▁individuals ▁that ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁suitable ▁habitat , ▁often ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁other ▁individuals ▁that ▁might ▁also ▁be ▁affected . ▁ ▁The ▁final ▁result ▁is ▁a ▁dis integr ated , ▁white , ▁m ush y ▁blob , ▁which ▁no ▁longer ▁seems ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁sea ▁star . ▁▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁pl ague ▁The ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁pl ague ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁notable ▁case ▁of ▁Sea ▁Star ▁W ast ing ▁D ise ase . ▁Scient ists ▁noticed ▁a ▁rapidly ▁decl ining ▁population ▁of ▁common ▁star fish ▁( A ster ias ▁rub ens ) ▁occurr