Mottled Sea Star (Evasterias troschelii)

Description: The mottled sea star is a large starfish, consisting of a body with five rays, growing up to 60 cm across. They vary in color, ranging from brown, blue, green, pink, red and orange, and have an irregular line of white-tipped spines running down the center of their rays. They get the mottled name from the darker spots that cover their bodies, no matter what the main body color is.

Habitat: Mottled sea stars range along the coast from Alaska to California, as well as some areas of Russia. They are most commonly found in the low intertidal zone, on rocks or in the sand, and can occasionally be found amongst the eelgrass as well. 

Diet:  Similar to other sea stars, the mottled sea stars diet consists of muscles, barnacles, chitons, and snails.

Tide Pool Tidbits:

• The mottled sea star can evert its stomach up to a distance that is equal to half the length of their arm.

• They are easily confused with the ochre sea stars, to the point of their other common name being False Ochre Star. The easiest way to tell them apart is by the shape of their arms at the base. Ochre stars are widest where the arm connects to the central disc whereas mottled stars are slightly thinner at the base and widest just out from there.

Reference: Walla Walla University, The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest by J. Duane Sept