One of the most common members of the Asteroidea class of Echinoderms found in the Pacific Northwest. Identification This organism can be found in a variety of colors, but is typically orange or purple. This organism can be easily identified by it's pentagram shape on it's central disk. This individual was found at Fox Island, Wa in the rocky intertidal region. Feeding Pisaster is typically a top predator in it's habitat and typically feeds on mussels, barnacles, and other bivalves (Kozloff 1973). Pisaster feeds by using its tube feet to pull apart bivalve shells and extruding its stomach into the shells to digest the food. Regeneration Pisaster ochraceous like the other members of the echinoderm phylum is able to regenerate lost body parts and internal organs (Carnevali 2006). Larvae of asteroidea members are also able to regenerate and are capable of cloning (Carnevali 2006). |
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