California Academy of Sciences, California Coast Gallery
The Northern California Coast exhibit complements the California and Climate Change exhibit nearby. Visible from the main floor, a sandy flat and salt marsh remind us of the habitats, beauty, and services provided by San Francisco Bay. A level below, a floor-to-ceiling view into the ...more ↓
Purple Sea Urchin
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, or the purple sea urchin, is one of the sharp-spined sea urchin species. The spines are used as a means of defense against would-be predators. This urchin is deep purple in color, and grows to a diameter of about 4 inches. They are found along the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada where they cling to depressions in the rocks ...more ↓
Giant Red Sea Urchin
The Red Sea Urchin is a Sea Urchin found in the Pacific ocean, from Alaska to Baja California. It lives in shallow waters from the low-tide line to 90 m deep, and is typically found on rocky shores that are sheltered from extreme wave action.
Linckia columbiae
Linckia columbiae is a species of starfish in the family Ophidiasteridae that is found off the coast of California and adjacent areas of the semi-tropical north east Pacific Ocean. Common names include the fragile star, the Pacific comet sea star and the variable sea star.
Eccentric sand dollar
Eccentric sand dollar (Dendraster excentricus), also known as the sea-cake, biscuit-urchin, western sand dollar, or Pacific sand dollar, is a member of the order Clypeasteroida, better known as sand dollars, a species of flattened, burrowing sea urchins found in the northeast Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Baja California.
Leather Star
Dermasterias imbricata or the leather star is a starfish in the family Asteropseidae. It is found at depths of up to one hundred metres off the western seaboard of North America.
Giant Sea Star
The giant sea star, Pisaster giganteus is a species of sea star that lives along the western coast of North America from Southern California to British Columbia. It makes its home on rocky shores near the low tide mark. It preys on mollusks. It can grow as large as 24 in (61 cm) in diameter. Its color varies from brown to red or purple.
Sunflower Sea Star
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 ...more ↓
Bat Star
The Bat star (Asterina miniata), also known as Sea bat, Webbed star, Bat Man and Broad-disk star, is an echinoderm of class Asteroidea (commonly known as sea stars). It typically has five arms, with the center disk of the animal being much wider than the stubby arms are in length. Although the bat star usually has five arms, it sometimes has as ...more ↓
Common Sun Star
The common sunstar or Crossaster papposus is a species of sea star belonging to the family Solasteridae. It is found in the northern parts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
Rainbow Star
Orthasterias is a genus of sea stars in the family Asteriidae. Orthasterias koehleri, the rainbow star or red-banded sea star, is the only species in the genus. It is found in the North Pacific Ocean.
Cucumaria miniata
Cucumaria miniata is commonly known as the orange sea cucumber due to its striking color. It its often found wedged in between rocks or crevices at the coast or on docks and can generally be identified by its orange bushy tentacles protruding above the substrate (Kozloff, 1993).
Parastichopus parvimensis
The Warty Sea Cucumber (Parastichopus parvimensis) is a Sea Cucumber that can be found from the Gulf of Alaska to southern California. It is found from the low intertidal zone to a depth of 250 m. They are most abundant in areas with moderate current with cobbles, boulders or bedrock.
Giant Sea Star
The giant sea star, Pisaster giganteus is a species of sea star that lives along the western coast of North America from Southern California to British Columbia. It makes its home on rocky shores near the low tide mark. It preys on mollusks. It can grow as large as 24 in (61 cm) in diameter. Its color varies from brown to red or purple.
Ochre Sea Star
Pisaster ochraceus, generally known as the purple sea star, ochre sea star or ochre starfish, is a common starfish found among the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Identified as a keystone species, Pisaster is considered an important indicator for the health of the intertidal zone.
