Category Archives: Phylum Echinodermata

Pteraster tesselatus: Slime star –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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A useful defense mechanism is evident in the slime stars. They will fill a bucket full of slime when picked up, this can be toxic to other invertebrates.

Slime star photograph by Ryan Murphy

Slime star photograph by Ryan Murphy,2010

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Subphylum: Eleutherozoa
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Velatida
Family: Pterasteridae
Genus: Pteraster
Species: P. tesselatus

rmjellystar

Slime star and nudibranch–photo by Ryan Murphy

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.  2014 Garry Fletcher

 

Evasterias troschellii: Mottled Star

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Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Forcipulatida
SuborderAsteriadina
Family Asteriidae
Genus Evasterias
Species troschellii
Common Name: Mottled Star)

Recently Russian Scientists researching two other members of the genus, Evasterias , discovered of new steroid compounds.

Steroid compounds from two Pacific starfish of the genus Evasterias
E. V. Levina, A. I. Kalinovsky and P. V. Dmitrenok

QUOTE from Pub-med

.

[Article in Russian]
E V Levina, A I Kalinovskiĭ, P V Dmitrenok

Jan-Feb 2009;35(1):134-41.

doi: 10.1134/s1068162009010166.

 

“Abstract

Three new steroid glycosides (evasteriosides C, D, and E), along with six known compounds, were isolated from two Pacific starfish of the genus Evasterias. Evasterioside C from E. retifera collected from the Sea of Japan was identified as (20R,22E)-3-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-24-nor-5alpha-cholest-22-ene-3beta,6beta,8,15alpha,26-pentaol 26-sulfate sodium salt. The structures of evasterioside D and E from E. echinosoma (collected from the Gulf of Shelichov, the Sea of Okhotsk) were established as (20R,24S)-24-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-5alpha-cholestane-3beta,6alpha,8,15beta,24-pentaol and (20R,24S)-3,24-di-O-(beta-D-xylopyranosyl)-cholest-4-ene-3beta,6beta,8,15alpha,24-pentaol, respectively. In addition, the known compounds pycnopodiosides A and C, luridoside A, 5alpha-cholestane-3beta,6alpha,8,15beta,16beta,26-hexaol, 5alpha-cholestane-3beta,6alpha,8,15beta,24-pentaol 24-sulfate sodium salt, and marthasterone sulfate sodium salt were identified in E. echinosoma. The structures of the isolated compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses using 1D and 2D NMR techniques, mass spectrometry, and some chemical transformations.

Similar articles

 

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.  Ryan Murphy, 2011

 

Stylasterias forreri: Fish-eating star or Velcro seastar–The Race Rocks taxonomy

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This photo taken by Andrew McCurdy in August 2010 is from West Race Rocks around 40ft depth. It is not a very common sea star out there..

From Wikipedia: The velcro star feeds on invertebrates such as gastropod molluscs and chitons. When alert to movement in the water nearby, the rings of pedicellariae are extended, ready for action. If anything touches its aboral (upper) surface, the starfish reacts by snapping shut the pedicellariae in the vicinity of the stimulus. By this means it can catch prey items such as small fish.[3] The victim is passed to the mouth by movements of the arms and by actions of the tube feet. The velcro star can also defend itself against attack by predators such as the voracious morning sun star (Solaster dawsoni).[3] To fight back, it coils its arms around the attacker and inflicts thousands of nips with its pedicellariae. The attacker often retreats and the velcro star escapes.[3]

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Forcipulatida
Family Curculionoidea
Genus Stylasterias
Species forreri ( de Loriol, 1887)
Common Name: Fish-eating star or Velc

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. — Andrew McCurdy 2010

Pseudocnus curatus: Black brooding sea cucumber–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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by Ryan Murphy, April, 2010 See Ryan’s underwater set on Flickr with a range of invertebrates:

In the early 1980’s while doing subtidal surveys, we discovered a major concentration of the small subtidal sea cucumber Pseudocnus curatus ( formerly Cucumaria pseudocnus) living in high density off the West side of Great Race Rocks. On April16, 2004, six divers, Ramiro, Mael, Mike, Carmen, Aven and Chris were able to do a preliminary survey of the area and have produced the results shown here.
To do the survey, they ran out a reel tape measure from shore to 75 meters in a bearing of 255 degrees magnetic from peg number 7- a permanent reference peg on the very South West corner of the Island. This took them into water that is 8 to 10 meters in depth.
We are uncertain as to why this organism concentrate here in these numbers, and this also happens at other locations such as Beecher bay 3 km to the West. This is the only area we find them in at Race Rocks.
Also included in this file are the raw data values from the divers. One may clip and paste these into an EXCEL program in order to do alternate analysis.

This species is distinguished from Cucumaria pseudocurata which lives up in the mussel beds by having 10 tentacles instead of 8. It is s found in great abundance on the surface of boulders at a depth of 10 meters 60 meters offshore of the south west tip of Great Race Rock ( peg7) Counts of up to 1000 per square meter have been estimated. It can also be found intertidally among the mussel beds on the Western side of the main island.

The following count done by students of the diving activity gives an idea of how dense this species is in one location at Race Rocks. Recently Ryan Murphy found another population of this density on the Eastside  of Great Race Rock.
The book Sea Cucumbers of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, and Puget Sound by Phil Lambert is the best source for identification of most of the 45 species of local sea cucumbers. In it he notes that the habitat of Pseudocnus curatus “in the Juan de Fuca Strait tends to be shallow subtidal in areas where the tidal currents are strong….. They nestle together in large aggregations on open rocky surfaces …..and….. are eaten by many species of sea stars……although their body wall is toxic to some fish predators providing a strong defense mechanism.”
See also Taxing Problems by Philip Lambert – Now Curator Emeritus of Invertebrates, Royal BC Museum for a description of the difficulty in classification and the need to classify by the skin ossicles.
Google Pseudocnus curatus for a link to the page describing this species..

Pseudocnus curatus Is similar to another species, Cucumaria pseudocurata which is found more shallow in the intertidal zone at Race Rocks. Both species average 1.5 to 3cm in length. C. pseudocurata has 5 bands of tube feet in single or zig zag rows. As a rule there are 8 equal sized tentacles. P.curatus on the other hand has 10 equal sized tentacles. and tube feet scattered on the Dorsal side. At Race Rocks, it lives in the subtidal zone at 8 to 10 meters in depth.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Sub-Phylum Eleutherozoa
Class Holothuroidea
Subclass Dendrochirotacea
Order Dendrochirotida
Family Cucumariidae
Genus Pseudocnus
Species curatus, (Lambert,1997?)
Common Name: Black brooding sea cucumber

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION at RACE ROCKS

In the early 1980’s while doing subtidal surveys, we discovered a major concentration of the small subtidal sea cucumber Pseudocnus curatus ( formerly Cucumaria pseudocnus) living in high density off the West side of Great Race Rocks. On April16, 2004, six divers, Ramiro, Mael, Mike, Carmen, Aven and Chris were able to do a preliminary survey of the area and have produced the results shown here.
To do the survey, they ran out a reel tape measure from shore to 75 meters in a bearing of 255 degrees magnetic from peg number 7- a permanent reference peg on the very South West corner of the Island. This took them into water that is 8 to 10 meters in depth.
We are uncertain as to why this organism concentrate here in these numbers, and this also happens at other locations such as Beecher bay 3 km to the West. This is the only area we find them in at Race Rocks.
Also included in this file are the raw data values from the divers. One may clip and paste these into an EXCEL program in order to do alternate analysis.

Raw Data from 0.125 meter quadrats Ramiro and Mike and Av Carmen and Chris
meters from the shore 40
41
42 0
43
44
45
46 0
47 1
48 7
49 20
50 8
51
52 9
53
54 3
55
56
57 2
58 14
59
60
61
62 20
63
64 20
65 1
66 16 1
67 8
68 25
69 2
70 19 13
71 29
72 19
73 31
74 0

 

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Garry Fletcher

Solaster endeca: Northern Sun star

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One of the frames from the video on predation on the Psolus chitinoides

 

Predation of a Psolus chitinoides by a sea star is examined and discussed by Laura and Nadege. The stomach of the sea star surrounds the sea cucumber and the soft neck and mouth of Psolus is well inside the cavity of the sea

We see these occasionally at Race Rocks in the subtidal areas.Their favorite prey are various species of sea cucumber. Their puffy arms distinguish them from other orange stars. They can grow to 40 cm. across.

 

Reference: Lamb and Hanby, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest.

Other Members of the Phylum Arthropoda at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

G.Fletcher

 

Strongylocentrotus franciscanus :Giant red urchin–Race Rocks taxonomy

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rmamr2010hanitat

Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and Pearson College diver at Race Rocks photo by Ryan Murphy

From the underwater albums of Ryan Murphy- photographed when he was an Ecoguardian at Race Rocks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanjmurphy/sets/72157622196559991

seaurchin -juvenile

Sea urchin juvenile between spines of adult. Photo by Ryan Murphy

seaurchin-close

A sea urchin “starburst”

redurchinandgreen

Giant red urchin Strongylocentrotus fransciscanus and Green urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis

Usually, they eat red or brown algae (see in the photograph they have eaten pieces of the kelp Nereocystis), periwinkles, and occasionally barnacles or mussels.

sea-urchin-video

See this video which has all three species of Sea urchin found at Race Rocks.

Distribution; rocky areas though at exposed and protected coastal waters. 

strongylo

This Giant Red Urchin contrasts with the Metridium beds at Race Rocks

Habitat: Rocky substrates, especially ledges and crevices located near bull kelp beds and other brown algae in area of moderate to swift currents. Larvae drift and feed in plankton, juveniles settle near kelp bed, often associate with aggregation of adults, remain under adult spines until they reach 40mm.

Behavior: The red sea urchin is found in deeper water than the purple sea urchin. It is seen from the low intertidal area to as deep as 90 meters. The urchins move their feet by a hydraulic system which creates suction in the end of the food by pulling water out the madroporite. These tube feet may also be used to sense of smell the chemicals in their surroundings like others urchins, the red sea urchin can regrow its spines if they are broken. On full size urchins, these spines sometimes shelter small juveniles.

seaurchgraze

Grazing marks on the stypes of Nereocystis sp.

Reproduction: The spawning of red sea urchin peaks between, June and September in southern BC. The fertilized eggs develop into planktonic larvae before settling on the bottom where they change into tiny juvenile sea urchins. This replenishment of the population, appears to occur annually in local waters. New recruits must hide from potential predators and many seek shelter under the spines of adult . Adulthood is at approx. 3cm diameter and legal size of 10cm is reached in five to ten years. Life span sometimes exceeds 30 years.

People eat the gonads (sexual organs, called “UNI”) of this urchin. It is especially a delicacy in Japan and others parts of Asia. Sunflower stars, some fish, birds, and sea otters also prey on them.

This pdf is on the DFO Integrated Fisheries management Plan for the Red urchin:

DFO-red_urchin_2011-12 “The purpose of this Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) is to identify the main objectives and requirements for the Red Sea Urchin fishery in the Pacific Region, as well as the management measures that will be used to achieve these objectives. This document also serves to communicate the basic information on the fishery and its management to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) staff, legislated co-management boards and other stakeholders. This IFMP provides a common understanding of the basic “rules” for the sustainable management of the fisheries resource.”

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Order: Echinoida
Family: Strongylocentrotidae
Genus: Strongylocentrotus
Species: S. franciscanus
Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Original arrangement was by  Ainhoa Orensanz PC Year 28, Feb 2002

 

 

Dermasterias imbricata: Leather star–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Domain Eukarya

Usually when we find leather stars at Race Rocks, a search in the grooves underneath will reveal a symbiont, the scaleworm Arctonoe vittata. The worm also associates with various other marine invertebrates, but if separated from its host, will search out another member of the same species. The main predator of this sea star is the morning sun star

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Valvatida
Family ASteropseidae
Genus Dermasterias
Species imbricata. (Dermasterias imbricata )(Grube, 1857)
Common Name: Leather Star

Garry Fletcher

Solaster stimpsoni: Stripped Sun Star–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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This is a frame taken from the video beside. The blue color is because white light does penetrate to a depth of 8 metres, so only the parts of the picture that are illuminated from the video light show the true colors.. Note in the video how objects appear to change color when illuminated, but, they don’t actually do so. In the foreground is a broooding anemone , red with a band of babies at its girth. The pink coral is hydrocoral.

“Invertebrates at Race Rocks” is an introductory piece on a few of the invertebrate phyla. This was one of the first hinted streaming videos done by the Pearson College divers in April 2000. There is a good section on Soalaster Stimpsoni in the film. It was taken by Rowena and Shamsher on a Sony Digital camera, and edited by Hannah and Garry on a G4 Macintosh Computer using iMovie.

 

Physical Description
It has 8-12 arms, but usually it has 10 arms, which has length is about 23 cm. The diameter about 20 inches (51 cm). And the central disc about &Mac185; of total diameter. It&Mac226;s mouth just below the central disc. And, as the common sea star, it uses its tube feet which under main arms to move.

Global Distribution
This kind of sea star could be found at Bering Sea to Salt Point California (Trinidad Head, Sonoma Country, Kodiak Island and Oregon) and Pacific Northwest (Sunrise Beach and Gig Harbor).

Physical Description
It has 8-12 arms, but usually it has 10 arms, which has length is about 23 cm. The diameter about 20 inches (51 cm). And, as the common sea star, it uses its tube feet which under main arms to move.

Habitat
This sea star is possible to find at rocky bottoms but sometimes in sand or in the lowest zone.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroida
Order Spinulosida
Suborder Eugnathina
Family Solasteridae
Genus Solaster
Species stimpsoni
Common Name: Stripped Sun Star, Sun Star, Stimpson’s
Feeding
This animal is a carnivore. It usually feed at sea cucumbers (the most favorite foods), tunicates, lampshells, sea pens, brachiopods, holothurians, sea squirts and nudibranch.

Predator
The predator of this animal is Sunflower Star ( Solaster dawsoni).

Reproduction
It reproduces sexually. It is breeding from February to March. Gametes are discharge into water. The eggs then become larvae and start to metamorphosis for about 40-50 days.

Interesting Thing
It can curl its arms up over its body to take on a spherical shape. This allows it to tumble across the seafloor in the along-shore currents.

References
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Sun Sea Star Solaster Stimpsoni. Internet
British Columbia Creature Page. Internet
Edmonds Discovery Programs. Internet
Gotshall Daniel (1994) Guide To Marine Invertebrates. California
King Country (1999) Sun Star &Mac246; Solaster Stimpsoni. Internet
Lambert Philip (1965) Sea Star. Vancouver, Canada
Morris Robert, Donald A & Eugene H (1980) Interditial Invertebrates of California. California
Photo Gallery. Internet
Strathmann Megumi (1987) Reproduction And Development of Marine Invertebrates of The Northern Pacific Coast. Friday Harbour Laboratory
Verrill (1880) Solaster Stimpsoni. Internet
Yates Steve (1988) Marine Wildlife. Washington

 

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy

and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

January 2006 Winda (PC year 32)

Crossaster papposus: Rose star–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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We dont find the rose star very often when diving at Race Rocks . These sunstars are scavengers and are omnivores, ir predators of anything edible. Sunflower stars and Northern sunstars are its predators. 

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Velatida
Family Solasteridae
Genus Crossaster
Species papposus,

(C. papposus Linnaeus, 1776)

Common Name: Rose Star

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

Garry Fletcher

Pisaster ochraceus: Purple or ochre star–The race Rocks Taxonomy

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Along the low intertidal shores of Vancouver Island, this sea star is frequently found. It is amazing however that this is the only specimen we have been able to find at RaceRocks. Since these sea stars inhabit the lower intertidal zone they are subject to strong forces by crashing waves. This single individual with a diameter of over 50 cm. has a protected niche at the inside base of the cliff in a crevice on the small intertidal island on the West side of Great Race Rocks. Its main food, Californianus mussels are abundant all around so it has probably been in this same position for more than 20 years.

The Pisaster ochraceus or ochre star as it is more commonly known can be found along the coast of the Pacific Ocean from the Baja California up to Alaska. However it is more common around the Northwest coast as it is a cold water species. Ochre stars typically have five arms and are dotted with small white blunt spines which form line patterns. The bottoms of their arms are covered in small extendable suction like feet.

The ochre star mainly eats mussels, snails, limpets, chitons, barnacles or sea urchins. By moving on top of its prey, the ochre star then opens the shell and everts its stomach onto its prey digesting it. The ochre star is also prey to birds and sea otters. The ochre star plays an important role as a keystone species. It has been noted that in areas where the ochre star has been removed, the ecological diversity has gone down.

Interestingly enough, the ochre star can withstand being out of water for an extended period of time. It is able to lose a substantial amount of water. It can also regenerate a lost arm, though this may take up to a year. Ochre stars have been known to live up to 20 years.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Asteroidea
Order Forcipulatida
SuborderAsteriadina
Family Asteriidae
Genus Pisaster
Species ochraceus
Common Name: Purple or ochre star

References:
http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/projects/rocky/oochstar.html
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Pisaster_ochraceus.html

Other Members of the Phylum Echinodermata at Race Rocks 
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.    Alex Chan  ( PC year 31)