This seastar is an active predator of snails, bivalves, barnacles, and small chitons. It is not feeding on the anemones it straddles here. Diameter about 45 cm. Depth 18 m.
This closeup of a juvenile Pisaster was taken to show details of the seastar's dorsal surface. Blue rings surround pink spines, and tiny yellow pincers, pedicellariae, encircle the rings. Skin gills protrude from dark recesses.
Close up of a mosaic sea star. The papillae were out due to the strong surge currents at the Monument; they are used for respiration (extracting oxygen from the water and releasing CO2)
The sea star can move slowly, using its little tube feet. The feet use suction to stick to the rock. The sea star's mouth is in the center of its body.
Longitude (deg): -0.1. Latitude (deg): 50.8. Longitude (deg/min): 0ð 10' W. Latitude (deg/min): 50ð 50' N. Vice county name: East Sussex. Vice county no.: 14. Country: England. Identified by: Malcolm Storey. Comment: On lower shore. Category: standard photograph or close-up. Photographic equipment used: "35mm transparencies (on a variety of films, but Agfa CT18 in the 1960's to early 1980's followed by Fujichrome in the late 1980's.) Transparencies scanned with Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II AF-2820U transparency scanner.".
