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.
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.
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.
