Common sunstar
An omnivorous sea star found in northern oceans.
The common sunstar (Crossaster papposus) is a sea star in the family Solasteridae. Its range spans the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, from the Arctic south to the English Channel and the North Sea. On North America’s east coast, it occurs from the Arctic to the Gulf of Maine; on the west coast, from Alaska to Puget Sound. It is also circumboreal, found in Greenland, Iceland, the Barents Sea, Kola Bay, the Okhotsk Sea, and the White Sea.
This species lives on rocky bottoms, coarse sand, and gravel in bathyal, infralittoral, and circalittoral zones, from the low-tide line down to 300 meters. It prefers areas with strong water movement. Very small individuals sometimes appear in rock pools.
The top side is reddish with concentric bands of white, pink, yellow, or dark red; the underside is white. Brushlike spines cover the upper surface, with slightly larger spines along the margins. The central disc is thick, fairly large, and bears a netlike pattern of raised ridges, while the mouth area is bare. The arms are relatively short, usually numbering eight to fourteen. The radius can reach 15 cm (6 inches). The madreporite plate is clearly visible.
An omnivore, the common sunstar eats almost anything, including smaller starfish and sunstars, which it swallows whole. It also scavenges.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Crossaster
- Species
- papposus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The common sunstar is distributed from the Arctic down to the English Channel, in the North Sea, and on both the East and Pacific coasts of North America. It is also circumboreal, occurring in Greenland, Iceland, the Barents Sea, Kola Bay, Okhotsk Sea, and the White Sea. It is commonly found on rocky bottoms, coarse sand, and gravel in the bathyal, infralittoral, and circalittoral zones, from the low-tide line up to depths of 300 m, and seems to prefer areas of high water movement. Very small sunstars are sometimes found in rock pools.
Its description notes a reddish top with concentric bands of white, pink, yellow, or dark red, and a white underside. The top is covered with brushlike spines, with marginal spines somewhat larger. The thick, central disc is fairly large and has a netlike pattern of raised ridges, while the mouth area is bare. It has relatively short arms, usually numbering eight to fourteen, and its radius can be up to 15 cm. The madreporite plate stands out clearly.
Reader's Guide
The common sunstar is significant as a widely distributed predator and scavenger in northern marine ecosystems. Its omnivorous diet includes almost anything, notably smaller starfish and sunstars, which it swallows whole. This feeding behavior highlights its role as a top invertebrate predator in its habitats. The species' preference for areas of high water movement and its occurrence from the low-tide line to depths of 300 m demonstrate its adaptability across various zones. Its distinctive appearance—reddish with concentric bands and brushlike spines—makes it easily identifiable. The presence of a clear madreporite plate and a netlike pattern on the central disc are key anatomical features. The common sunstar's circumboreal distribution across the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans underscores its ecological importance in cold-water environments.
Did You Know?
- The common sunstar can have eight to fourteen arms.
- It is an omnivore that swallows smaller starfish whole.
- Its radius can reach up to 15 cm (6 inches).
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