Species Type:
Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Bay sea star
Size:
On average, these sea stars grow to be five inches (12.7 centimeters) in diameter.
Diet:
These sea stars eat mussels, clams and oysters.
Range & Habitat:
These sea stars inhabit estuaries and rock or sandy bottom areas in the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. southeastern Gulf and the Gulf of Maine.
Details:
Bay sea stars range from yellow-orange to deep purple. Their five arms have tube feet underneath. Each tip has a light-sensing “eye” that is less complex than our own. They move nutrients and oxygen through their bodies using seawater instead of blood. To feed, they push their stomachs out, digest prey like clams externally and then pull nutrients in.