Striped Sun Star
Solaster stimpsoni
Marine Invertebrates
Rocky subtidal habitat
iNaturalist records: 2022-2023
Meet this species
Striped sun stars are large predatory sea stars of rocky northeastern Pacific habitats. Three observations across 2022 and 2023 add another member to the impressive diversity of sea stars documented around Greene Point. Their many arms allow them to move and hunt across structurally complex seafloor habitat.
Striped sun star with patterned arms on rocky subtidal habitat near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Look for a large sea star with numerous arms and bold pale and dark striping or banding across the upper surface. The patterned body distinguishes it from many of the other multi-armed sea stars found in the same waters.
Why It Matters Here:
The number of different sea-star species documented within the same landscape tells a larger ecological story. Greene Point supports not simply "sea stars" but a community of different predators occupying overlapping marine habitats.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.