Blood star • Henricia leviuscula
Photos by Thalia Christou (top left), Sara Wickham (top right, with a lighter-coloured central disc), Julia Fisher (underside of the sea star), and Jenn Burt.
Identification
The blood star is a vivid orange to brick-red or sometimes a paler yellow or beige. Its central disc may have grey patches. It usually has 5 (sometimes 4 or 6) relatively long and thin rays. The blood star is usually relatively small compared to other sea stars, rarely growing larger than 12 cm in diameter (maximum to 31 cm).
Habitat & Range
This sea star occurs from the low intertidal to depths of 435 m. It is not commonly found on beaches except at very low tide, or when washed up on shore. It prefers rock and shell substrates. The blood star is found on the west coast of North America from Alaska south to California and Mexico. It is also found in the eastern Pacific on the coasts of Siberia and Japan.
Similar Species
The blood star is similar to the ridged blood star (Henricia aspera), but the blood star is more common in BC, and has thinner rays. Its aboral surface is textured with a mesh-like network of ridges formed by ossicles; the blood star appears to have smaller and less obvious ridges, creating a roughened texture as opposed to an obvious meshwork pattern. This species group is quite complex, and identifying your specimen to genus (Henricia), may be your best bet!
Intriguing Info
This species may actually be a species complex, as many different forms are possible. Research is ongoing to distinguish and describe these different subspecies or species; until then, this species may be referred to as a 'super species complex.'
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47664-Henricia-leviuscula
The blood star is a vivid orange to brick-red or sometimes a paler yellow or beige. Its central disc may have grey patches. It usually has 5 (sometimes 4 or 6) relatively long and thin rays. The blood star is usually relatively small compared to other sea stars, rarely growing larger than 12 cm in diameter (maximum to 31 cm).
Habitat & Range
This sea star occurs from the low intertidal to depths of 435 m. It is not commonly found on beaches except at very low tide, or when washed up on shore. It prefers rock and shell substrates. The blood star is found on the west coast of North America from Alaska south to California and Mexico. It is also found in the eastern Pacific on the coasts of Siberia and Japan.
Similar Species
The blood star is similar to the ridged blood star (Henricia aspera), but the blood star is more common in BC, and has thinner rays. Its aboral surface is textured with a mesh-like network of ridges formed by ossicles; the blood star appears to have smaller and less obvious ridges, creating a roughened texture as opposed to an obvious meshwork pattern. This species group is quite complex, and identifying your specimen to genus (Henricia), may be your best bet!
Intriguing Info
This species may actually be a species complex, as many different forms are possible. Research is ongoing to distinguish and describe these different subspecies or species; until then, this species may be referred to as a 'super species complex.'
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47664-Henricia-leviuscula
References
Cowles, D. (2005). Henricia leviuscula (Stimpson, 1857). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. Accessed 02/10/2013.
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. Pp. 134-135.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Cowles, D. (2005). Henricia leviuscula (Stimpson, 1857). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. Accessed 02/10/2013.
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. Pp. 134-135.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).