Pisaster brevispinus
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
Giant pink star (Pisaster brevispinus): This huge, dramatic starfish is primarily a subtidal species of quiet sandy or muddy bottoms. Although ocasionally found by terrestrial explorers during extreme negative tides, it is more readily observed from small boats in winter when the water is clear. Its incredibly long "reach" with its tube feet and even stomach means that it can stick its tube feet down into the bottom about as far as its arms are long, and then extract the hapless bivalve at the other end. This species is essentially impossible to confuse with any other, thanks to its huge size, short but stiff dorsal spines, and pale pink color.
Local Notes
References
Weblinks
- Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory page for Pisaster brevispinus
- The Echinoblog page for Pisaster brevispinus
- WoRMS page for Pisaster brevispinus
- WoRMS Page for Pisaster brevispinus
- Search Arctos Database for Pisaster brevispinus (Southeast only)
- Search Arctos Database for Pisaster brevispinus (entire database)
- Encyclopedia of Life search for Pisaster brevispinus
- iNaturalist Observations for Pisaster brevispinus in Southeast Alaska
Other References