Tag Archives: Sunflower Seastar

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The largest Sea Star in the world is the Sunflower Seastar, Pycnopodia helianthoides. Travis Winters was visiting relatives on the Mendonoma Coast and took his camera along when he hiked the Stornetta Public Lands. There he found this Sea Star.

I count twenty-one limbs on this big Sea Star. They can have between 16 and 24 limbs and they grow over three feet across. They eat Sea Urchins, Clams, Snails and other invertebrates.

Thanks to Travis for sharing his photo with us here. To see other photos from the magnificent Stornetta Lands, here are a few links: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/06/15/a-hidden-waterfall-on-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-mendocino-county/  and http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/18/low-tide-at-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-point-arena-breathtaking/

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Tide pooling is a Coast tradition. One of the places to tide pool is at Anchor Bay Beach, which is accessed through Anchor Bay Campground. Anchor Bay Beach is a beautiful stretch of sand. And at low tide, there are treasures to be found and photographed, as Michelle Schubert discovered.

Below is an Ochre Sea Star. You can see the star in the middle.

 And here is a Sunflower Sea Star. It looks like it lost one of its arms.

 And a translucent green Jellyfish.

 I love how the Sea Stars, also fondly called Starfish, are draped on the rocks.

Thanks to Michelle for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

To see another photo of a Sunflower Sea Star, this one seen at the Stornetta Public Lands, and learn a little more about them, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/03/27/sunflower-seastar-found-at-the-stornetta-public-lands/

And to see a beautiful wave at AB Beach, here's that link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/01/16/the-pacific-ocean-is-dancing-at-anchor-bay-beach/

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Will Ericson was exploring the tide pools at the Stornetta Public Lands at low tide. He ducked into a cave and discovered this Sunflower Seastar, Pycnopodia helianthoides.

This Sea Star is the largest sea star in the world, growing to more than three feet across. Will said this one was more than a foot across. They eat clams and snails but prefer sea urchins. A lovely "meadow" of sea urchins was nearby. They usually have between 16 and 24 limbs. It *looks* like this one has 21.

I thank Will for allowing me to share his unusual sighting with you here.

To see more photos of the Stornetta Lands at low tide, here's a link to a previous post: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/18/low-tide-at-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-point-arena-breathtaking/