Location:
Bowdoin
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Coastal Studies Center
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Organisms
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Animal Species / Asterias vulgaris (Northern Sea Star)
Coastal Studies Center
Organisms
Organisms
Animal Species
- Kingdom Animalia
- Ciona Intestinalis (sea vase)
- Ciona Intestinalis (detail)
- Ciona Intestinalis (detail)
- Ciona Intestinalis (detail)
- Chlamys Islandica (Scallop)
- Chlamys Islandica (detail)
- Hydractinia Echinata (Snail Fur)
- Metridium senile (Frilled Anemone)
- Asterias vulgaris (Northern Sea Star)
- Marine Organisms: Animals
- Marine Organisms: Animals
Asterias vulgaris (Northern Sea Star)
Asterias vulgaris (Northern Sea Star): This echinoderm uses its tube feet (podia) to attach to the valves of mussels shells, pull them apart and than digest their prey in situ by inserting their stomach between the valves. The northern sea star is an important low intertidal and subtidal predator. Although not found in the intertidal around the Thalheimer property, a few can always be found in the seawater tables at the marine lab. They can be distinguished from A. forbesi (the common sea star) by the cream color of their madreporite. The orange color shown in the photograph is also fairly characteristic; A. forbesi tend to be much darker and browner in color.
Asterias vulgaris |
Detail |