Echinoderms
Purple Sea Star
Author: Jessica Dillon Photos by D. Young Common Names: Purple Sea Star, Ochre Sea Star, Purple Ochre Sea Star Scientific Name: Pisaster ochraceus Size Range: Diameter is approximately 25-30 cm. Identifying Features: Purple Sea Stars also known as Ochre Sea...
Six Rayed Star
Author: Anna Chhina Common Name: Six Rayed Star, Six Armed Sea Star, Scientific Name: Leptasterias hexactis Size Range: 5-9 cm (aprox. 2″) Identifying Features: The Six Rayed Sea Star is often green, black, brown, red, and sometimes a more mottled color. It is...
Sunflower Star
Author: Allie Graff Size range: Generally 1 m (about 39 inches) across but sometimes larger. Identifying Features: The Sunflower Star is the largest sea star in the world, and is also known as one of the fastest. Its speedy movements are courtesy of the fast-moving...
Striped Sun Star
Author: Kaylan Guidon Scientific name: Solaster stimpsoni Size range: 50 cm (20 inches) across Photos by D. Young Identifying features: This species can be identified by the dark blue to blue-purple stripes that radiate from the centre to the tips of the arms....
Blood Star
Common Names: Blood Star, Pacific Blood Star, Blood Starfish Author: Abigail Hodson Scientific Name: Henricia leviuscula Size Range: 10-12 cm (3.9-4.7 inches). Identifying Features: The pacific blood star is typically red-orange in colour, but colours may vary...
Vermillion Star
Author: Yunfei Gong Common name: Vermillion star Scientific name: Mediaster aequalis Size range: 5 inches Identifying features: Mediaster aequalis is one of the smallest sea stars ranging in size from three to seven inches. It is a red, 5 armed (rarely,4 to...
Leather Star
Author: Meaghan Claughton Photos by D. Young Scientific name: Dermasterias imbricata Size: Up to 30cm Identifying Features: The Leather Star (also known as the ‘Garlic Star’) is a five-armed echinoderm. The Leather Star is often a light grey-blue in colour with...
Bat Star
Author: Paige Bodin Common names: Bat star, webbed star, sea bat, broad-disk star. Scientific Name: Asterina miniata, Patiria miniata Size Range: Up to 20cm in diameter Identifying Features: The Bat Star generally has five stubby arms, but has been found...
Slime Star
Slime Star Author: Zoe Nicholson Photos courtesy of Andy Murch at www.elasmodiver.com Common name: Slime Star, Cushion Sea Star Scientific name: Pteraster tesselatus Size range: up to 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter. Identifying features: The slime star has...
California Sea Cucumber
California Sea Cucumber Author: Colleen Maguire Photos by Erin Pringle Common Name: California Sea Cucumber, Giant Sea Cucumber, Giant Red Sea Cucumber Scientific Name: Apostichopus californicus (formerly Parastichopus californicus) Size Range: from 25- 40 cm in...
Stiff-footed Sea Cucumber
Stiff-Footed Sea Cucumber Author: Haley Singleton and Sekoya Wellings Common Names: Stiff-footed sea cucumber, white sea cucumber Scientific name: Eupentacta quinquesemita Size range: Can grow up to 10 cm (4 inches) long Identifying Features: The...
Armoured Sea Cucumber
Armored Sea Cucumber By Isaac K. and Jenna T. Common names: Armoured Sea Cucumber, Slipper Sea Cucumber, Pedal Sea Cucumber Scientific name: Psolus chitonoides Size range: They are up to 7 cm (2.8 inches) in length. Identifying Features: The Armoured Sea...
Green Sea Urchin
Author: Martina Sarra Video and photos by Lucinda Booth and D. Young Scientific Name: Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Size Range:the average adult size is 50 mm (2 in), but it has been recorded at a diameter of 87 mm (3.4 in). Of the three species of sea urchin...
Purple Sea Urchin
Authors: Emma Grigg & Nastja Kharine Scientific Name: Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Size range: normally grows to 10cm (4 inches) but may be as large as 15 cm (6 inches) Identifying Features: As in its name, the purple sea urchin is a dark purple but it...
Red Sea Urchin
Red Sea Urchin By Victoria Cholak Common name: Red Sea Urchin, Giant Red Urchin Scientific name: Mesocentrotus franciscanus (formerly Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) Size range: Its test can be up to 17 cm (6½ inches) wide and its spines up to 7.6 cm (3 inches)...
Pacific Sand Dollar
Sand Dollar Author: Molly Simpson and Emma Troost Scientific Name: Dendraster excentricus Size Range: Up to 10cm in diameter Identifying Features: Sand dollars have no front, back, head or tail; instead they have a bottom (oral side) and a top (aboral side). They...