Summary ⁴

Pycnopodia helianthoides, commonly known as the sunflower seastar, is a large sea star found in the northeast Pacific. It is the largest sea star in the world, with a maximum armspan of 1 m (3.3 ft). Sunflower seastars usually have 16 to 24 limbs; their color can vary widely. They are predatory, feeding mostly on sea urchins, clams, snails, and other small invertebrates.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Wendy Feltham, all rights reserved, uploaded by Wendy Feltham
2. (c) rebafay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by rebafay, http://www.flickr.com/photos/97862725@N00/8447177542/
3. (c) Marisa Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Marisa Agarwal
4. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pycnopodia_helianthoides

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CalPhotos
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

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