Pink Sea Star
Jacob Hanke
Scientific Name
Pisaster Brevispinus
More Common Names
Short-Spined Sea Star and Giant Pink Sea Star (Rosaria Beach Sea Laboratory, 2013).
Habitat
- Geographic Range - Sitka, Alaska to La Jolla, California (Cowles, 2005).
- Maximum water depth is 135m (Rosaria Beach Marine Laboratory, 2013).
- More common in bays than open coast (Cowles, 2005).
- Also found in intertidal zone - area that is submerged in water during high tide and uncovered during low tide (Cowles, 2005).
Physical Characteristics
- It is one of the largest and heaviest sea stars. Big ones can weigh more than 10 lb. (McDaniel, 2013).
- Five thick, heavy set arms and bulky disc. Arms are rough due to numerous short spines (McDaniel, 2013).
- The overall color is pink (Cowles, 2005).
In humped up eating position
Reproduction
- Starfish commonly reproduce using a method called free-spawning. This means they release their gametes in hope they will be fertilized from the gamete of the opposite sex (Rosaria Beach Marine Laboratory, 2013).
- Become sexually mature at the end of their 2nd year (Rosaria Beach Marine Laboratory, 2013).
Niche in the Food Chain
- Mainly preys on bivalves such as clams, but also eats others such as snails, sand dollars, and barnacles. Also may scavenge for dead fish and squid (Cowles, 2005).
- Sea stars are successful because they don't have many predators (McDaniel, 2013).
- Ironically, other sea stars rank as their top predators (McDaniel, 2013).
- Decorator Crabs are a predator of the Pink Sea Star (Rosaria Beach Marine Laboratory, 2013).
Works Cited
Cowles, D. (2005). "Pisaster Brevispinus (Stimpson, 1857)". http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/biology/rosario/inverts/Echinodermata/Class%20Asteroidea/Pisaster_brevispinus.html
McDaniel, N. (2013). "Sea Stars of the Pacific Northwest". http://www.seastarsofthepacificnorthwest.info/species/giant_pink_star.html
Rosaria Beach Marine Laboratory. (2013). "Pisaster Brevispinus".