Name: Ochre Sea Star, purple sea star
Scientific Name: Pisaster ochraceus (Stimpson)
Family: Asteroidea
Group: Sea-stars, sea-urchins and sea-cucumbers
Class: Invertebrates
Size: 26-50 cm.
This sea star is one of the most abundant in the Pacific coasts. It may occur in any colour except pink. Its arms may vary in number from 4 to 7, generally being 5. The upper face of its body is covered with an enormous quantity of white spines, which give it a rough touch and may form a star pattern in the centre of the disk, The sea stars live on rock bottoms where there are plenty of other animals, particularly bivalves, on which they feed. In order to do so, they open the two valves and insert the stomach between them expelling the digestive enzymes in a process known as stomach eversion and that may last 3 days. They are eaten mainly by otters and seagulls. They are hermaphrodites with external fertilisation. They may live more than 30 years!
Photo by:
www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Temperate Pacific
