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Pink Sea Star
Pisaster brevispinus
The Pink Sea star, also called the “short-spined” or “giant pink star,” has five arms that are thickest near the central disk. It's top surface has 2 mm. spines arranged in networks or clusters. This starfish is typically seen in pink or lavender with shades of grey. It may regrow limbs if the central disk is intact.
Range & Habitat
Pacific Coast of North America from Alaska to southern California in subtidal areas with muddy or sandy bottoms to about 110 meters in depth.
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated
Diet
In the wild -- sand dollars, ocean worms, mussels, clams and other bivalve mollusks. An opportunistic scavenger,it also feeds on dead fish and other animals.
At the Zoo - Shrimp, shellfish, fish flakes.
Life Span
Unknown, but some species of Sea Stars live for more than 30 years.
Fun Facts about the Pink Sea Star
- This species of Sea Star was the inspiration for Patrick Star of "SpongeBob SquarePants" fame.
- It is one of the largest known species of sea star, with a diameter up to 64 cm.
- It competes with the Sunflower Sea Star for food when they both find the same prey.
- The tube feet next to the mouth can be used to pull up prey from the ocean floor.
- It can turn its stomach inside out, up to 8 cm, to digest prey in the shell.
Sources
Georgia Aquarium. (2022). Pink Sea Star. Retrieved January 2022. https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/animal/pink-sea-star/
Biodiversity of the Central Coast. (2013). Spiny pink star, pink sea star, ,giant pink star, short-spined sea star Pisaster brevispinus. Retrieved January 2022. https://www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/spiny-pink-star-bull-pisaster-brevispinus.html
Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. (2005). Pisaster brevispinus (Stimpson, 1857). Retrieved January 2022. https://inverts.wallawalla.edu/Echinodermata/Class%20Asteroidea/Pisaster_brevispinus.html
Seattle Aquarium. (2022). Sea star fact sheet. Retrieved January 2022. https://www.seattleaquarium.org/sites/default/files/files/SeaStarFactSheet.pdf
Updated June 13, 2023
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