Pycnopodia helianthoides

Description

General: Compare with Rathbunaster californicus. Purple, reddish-orange, yellow, or brown with 15 -24 arms. Arm to disc ratio = 2.5 to 3.5.

Size: Arms to 40 cm long.

Geographic Information

Habitat description: Benthic.

Ocean range (global): Aleutian Islands to Puerto Santo Tomas.

Published depth range: Consistently 0 - 120 m with reports of a few deeper (to 435 m).

Additional Information

References

Encyclopedia of Life

Tree of Life

World Register of Marine Species

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Lambert, P. (2000). Sea stars of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, and Puget Sound. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. UBC Press, Vancouver, BC. 186 pp.

Maluf, L.Y. (1988). Composition and distribution of the Central Eastern Pacific echinoderms. Technical Reports, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 2:242.