Pisaster ochraceus

Pisaster ochraceus
Ganges Harbour, British Columbia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Forcipulatida
Family: Asteriidae
Genus: Pisaster
Species:
P. ochraceus
Binomial name
Pisaster ochraceus
(Brandt, 1835) [1]

Pisaster ochraceus, generally known as the purple sea star, ochre sea star, or ochre starfish, is a common seastar found among the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Identified as a keystone species, P. ochraceus is considered an important indicator for the health of the intertidal zone.[2]

  1. ^ Christopher Mah (2010). Mah CL (ed.). "Pisaster ochraceus (Brandt, 1835)". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  2. ^ Power, M. E.; Tilman, D.; Estes, J. A.; Menge, B. A.; Bond, W. J.; Mills, L. S.; Daily, G.; Castilla, J. C.; Lubchenco, J.; Paine, R. T. (1996). "Challenges in the Quest for Keystones". BioScience. 46 (8): 609–620. doi:10.2307/1312990. JSTOR 1312990.