Identification Photos: Gulf Sun Star, Heliaster kubiniji Xantus: The Gulf Sun Star is the most common of the sea stars. It has also been reported to be the most common echinoderm of all intertidal environments in the Sea of Cortez.

The Gulf Sun Star is easily identified, having between 19 and 25 legs. The young individuals begin life with only five legs but additional ones are added rapidly as they mature. The tube feet have suckers and stalked pedicellariae (a jaw-like appendage used for protection and cleaning).

The aboral (side opposite the mouth) or dorsal surface of the Gulf Sun Staris a pink-lavender color with black and green mottling and banding. Younger individuals are darker in color than the adults.

The Gulf Sun Star is found affixed to substrate or crawling on and under large, smooth, basalt-type rocks in the mid and lower intertidal zone. Youngsters are found in deeper waters.

The Gulf Sun Star is an indiscriminant carnivore, consuming anemone, barnacles, chitons, crabs, cucumbers, mussels and snails.

The reported range of the Gulf Star is from Cape Mendocino, California, to Nicaragua. However collections in waters north of Mexico are rare. Note: due to abnormally warm surface water temperatures in the upper Gulf of California in 1978 at least 95 percent of the sun stars were killed and they have been slow to recover.

The Gulf Sun Star is an Echinoderm, a phylum which dates to the Cambrian period with 13,000 extinct and 7,000 living species which includes the brittle stars, cucumbers, daisies, feather stars, lilies, sand dollars, sea stars, and urchins. The Gulf Sun Star is a member of the Heliasteridae Family. In the Sea of Cortez, echinoderms are extremely numerous, both in individuals and species and they are conspicuous inhabitants of the intertidal zone from El Golfo de Santa Clara to Cabo San Lucas and to Mazatlan.

Gulf Sun Star, Heliaster kubiniji Xantus: Collected from a tidal pool, El Tule, Km. 17, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, by Eduardo Correa in February 2007. Wingspan approximately 15 cm. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.