Summary ²

NB DO NOT CONFUSE WITH MOTTLED STAR. The ochre star (Pisaster ochraceus) can grow to 50 cm (20 in) across. 5 stiff arms (wider than mottled star) with rough upper (aboral) surface and spiny ridges (more obvious than mottled star). Exists in purple, brown and ochre varieties. Central Alaska to northern Mexico, intertidal to 97 m. Very common and the most conspicuous sea star in the intertidal zone in Clayoquot Sound. Identified as a keystone species, considered an important indicator for the health of the intertidal zone. Feeds on mussels, barnacles, snails and limpets.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Steven Pavlov, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starfish,_Oregon_coast.jpg
2. Adapted by Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisaster_ochraceus

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
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• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

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