Animal Profiles
Sea stars

Starfish

Asteroidea

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Sea stars include many coastal predators. This account describes the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus), whose stout arms and variable colours are familiar on Pacific shores.

Pisaster ochraceus, the representative described in this account.

Pisaster ochraceus, the representative described in this account.

D. Gordon E. Robertson · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Ochre sea stars inhabit rocky, wave-washed shores of western North America.
Habitat
Coast
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Tube feet help the animal move and handle prey.

Classification

Common name
Starfish
Browse group
Sea stars
Scientific name or taxon
Asteroidea
Taxon rank
class
Source classification
Asteroidea

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Tube feet aid movement.
  • Colour varies between individuals.
  • Molluscs are important prey.

Habitat and range

Ochre sea stars inhabit rocky, wave-washed shores of western North America. Their bodies tolerate periods of exposure between tides while remaining dependent on marine conditions.

Appearance and adaptations

Five stout arms usually extend from a central disc. Colours include orange, brown and purple, and short pale spines mark the upper surface.

Diet and behaviour

Tube feet help the animal move and handle prey. Mussels, barnacles, limpets and other invertebrates supply food, connecting this predator closely to life on rocky shores.

Sources

Explore sea stars

Browse all sea stars