The animal is so flaccid that if its body is held long in the air, rays will break off and fall, as has happened to this specimen just above my hand. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 1997
Besides the large spines and pedicellariae on the aboral side, this seastar has long tube feet on the oral side. Note that this individual has been recently feeding, as indicated by the partly everted stomach. Photo by Dave Cowles at San Simeon, CA, April 1997 This seastar can move extremely rapidly for a seastar. Its presence elicits an escape reaction from many species such as the spiny scallop Chlamys hastata (click here for an .MPG movie), the sea cucumber Parastichopus californicus, and limpets. This movie shows how fast the animal is able to move its long tube feet.
This species is usually found subtidally but can sometimes be found in the very low intertidal or in cave tidepools, as this one was. Note the purple color.
