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Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Asteroidea
Sea
Stars
HAWAII
Acanthaster planci
Midway Atoll, 30 feet
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Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet |
San Pedro wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 80 feet |
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CROWN-OF-THORNS SEA STAR
| Frequent at scuba depths feeding upon corals.
Appears fluorescent green at depth. Sharp spines tipped with venom.
Attains nearly 2 feet. Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, Tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Mithrodia fisheri
Sharkfin, Lana'i, 80 feet
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French Frigate Shoals, NWHI |
Sea Cave, Oahu, 35 feet
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Sea Cave, Oahu, 35 feet
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Juvenile, Sea Cave, Oahu, 25 feet |
Corsair wreck, Oahu, 100 feet (cropped) |
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FISHER'S STAR
| Quite rare at scuba depths
adjacent to ledges and walls. Attains 20 inches. Endemic to Hawaii.
Closely related to Mithrodia bradleyi of the Tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Coscinasterias
acutispina
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French Frigate Shoals, NWHI |
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| Uncommon under stones in shallow water.
Reproduces by fission. Attains 6 inches. Hawaii to Japan. |
Asteropsis carinifera
Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i, Hawaii
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Kewalo, Oahu, Hawaii, 30 feet |
Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu |
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SHERIFF-BADGE STAR
| Uncommon under stones in shallow water.
Attains 7 inches. Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific. |
Culcita novaeguineae
Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii
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Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 60 feet |
Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet
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Juvenile, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu
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Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 30 feet |
Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 30 feet
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Blowhole, Oahu, 30 feet |
Kewalo, Oahu, 40 feet
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Kewalo, Oahu, 40 feet
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Juvenile, Portlock, Oahu, 35 feet
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Sea Cave, Oahu, 85 feet |
Lahilahi Cavern, Oahu, 50 feet |
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CUSHION STAR
| Common at scuba depths feeding upon corals.
Color extremely variable. Commensal shrimp
usually present on oral surface. Attains 10 inches.
Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Pentaceraster cumingi
Waikiki Aquarium
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KNOBBY STAR
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Uncommon at depths greater than 100 feet on sand and
rubble. Attains 12 inches. Hawaii & the Tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Leiaster glaber
Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 40 feet |
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RED VELVET STAR
| Rare at scuba depths.
Usually reticulated with white. Has a slippery texture.
Attains 8 inches. Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, Tropical Eastern Pacific. |
Leiaster leachi
Waianae, Oahu, 80 feet |
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PURPLE VELVET STAR
| Rare at scuba depths.
Has a slippery texture. May appear fluorescent blue
underwater. Attains 15 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Linckia guildingi
Kewalo, Oahu, 50 feet |
Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet
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Honokohau, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Kea'au, Oahu, 70 feet |
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GREEN LINCKIA
| Uncommon at scuba depths.
Hard rough texture. Dull green or brown. Attains 16 inches.
Hawaii, Tropical Pacific & Atlantic. Linckia diplax is a synonym. |
Linckia multifora
Midway Atoll, 30 feet
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Parasitic Thyca snail, Palea Point, Oahu, 25 feet |
Comet, Palea Point, Oahu, 30 feet
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Comet, Blowhole, Oahu, 25 feet |
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Blowhole, Oahu, 30 feet
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Sea Cave, Oahu, 35 feet |
Comet, Sea Cave, Oahu, 40 feet |
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SPOTTED LINCKIA
| Locally common in shallow water.
Hard rough texture. Pink, red, or gray with small red spots.
Attains 5 inches. Frequently missing / regenerating lost arms (comets).
Rarely found with parasitic Eulimid
snails on or within body. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Ophidiaster hemprichii
Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet |
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HEMPRICH'S STAR
| Uncommon under ledges & stones at any depth. Granular
surface, color variable. Attains width of 4 inches. Hawaii
& the Tropical Pacific. |
INDO-PACIFIC
Echinaster
callosus
Wakatobi, Indonesia |
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| Uncommon on reefs of the Indo-West Pacific. |
NORTHEAST PACIFIC
Asterina miniata
Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 70 feet |
Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 70 feet |
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BAT STAR
| Locally common on hard or soft bottom at any depth. Colors variable.
Attains 8 inches. Alaska to outer Baja California. |
Dermasterias
imbricatus
 Ogden
Pt, Victoria, BC, 40 feet |
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LEATHER STAR
| On hard or soft bottom at any depth. Attains 10 inches. Alaska to
outer Baja California. |
Pisaster brevispinus
 Madrona
Point, Vancouver Island, Canada, 40 feet |
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SHORT-SPINED STAR
| Locally common on hard or soft bottom at any depth. Attains 24 inches. Alaska to Southern California. |
Pisaster ochraceus
OCHRE STAR
| Common on rock & man-made structures at any depth. Orange or
purple. Attains 14 inches. Alaska to outer Baja California. |
Pycnopodia helianthoides
Madrona Point, Vancouver Island, Canada, 50 feet
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Spring Bay, Victoria, Canada, 30 feet
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Juvenile, Spring Bay, Victoria, Canada, 30 feet |
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GIANT SUNFLOWER STAR
| Common on hard or soft bottom at scuba depths. Color variable. Attains 3
feet. Alaska to Southern California. |
Solaster
stimpsoni
STIMPSON'S SUN STAR
| Fairly common on rocks at any depth. Feeds upon sea cucumbers.
Attains 20 inches. Alaska to Oregon and Japan. |
Orthasterias
koehleri
RAINBOW STAR
| On hard or soft bottom at any depth. Color variable. Feeds
upon mollusks. Attains 15 inches. Alaska to Southern California. |
Mediaster
aequalis
Ogden Pt., Victoria, BC, 30 feet |
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RED SEA STAR
| On hard or soft bottom at any depth. Attains 8 inches. Alaska to
Baja California. |
Henricia
leviuscula
BLOOD STAR
| Common on rocks at any depth. Attains 8 inches. Aleutians to
outer Baja California. |
Evasterias
troschelii
Ogden Pt, Victoria, BC, 5 feet
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FALSE OCHRE STAR
| On hard & soft bottom at any depth.
Color variable. Attains 12 inches. Bering Sea to Central
California. |
Lepasterias
hexactis
SIX-ARM SEA STAR
| Common on rocks in the intertidal & shallow subtidal zone.
Color variable. Attains 3 inches. Washington/south BC to
Santa Catalina, CA. |
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