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Pisaster ochraceus
A large orange-ochre starfish that has five rays and small white spines. These starfish can also be purple, yellow, reddish, or brown.
Spotted at the edge of a rocky tide pool at Tongue Point.
This species of seastar is often considered a keystone species in many intertidal regions. P. ochraceus is a predator of the California mussel, Mytilus californianus and reduces its abundance. This allows for other macroinvertebrates to persist. In an experimental removal of P. ochraceus, it was shown that Mytilus californianus becomes almost completely dominant of the intertidal community. When P. ochraceus is present there is a diverse intertidal community. (Wikipedia)
Spotted on Apr 20, 2019
Submitted on Apr 28, 2019
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