Photo: (c) Rajan Rao, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.
Habitat
Rocky intertidal shores and underwater rock or broken-shell habitat
Published depth range
Low intertidal to 671 m in the cited account; identification is complex
Viewing activities
Beach / tidepool · Scuba diving
What to look for
Usually five slender arms around a small central disk; often orange.
What it eats
Sponges and small particles trapped in mucus.
Identification and naming
The university account warns that this name may encompass multiple similar species. Deep records and photographs need careful identification.
When to look
The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.
WHERE HAS IT BEEN RECORDED?
Explore the featured regions
These dated records show past presence. They do not establish today’s abundance, guarantee a sighting, or describe the species’ entire range.
Monterey Bay
Recorded here
33,071 OBIS records in the regional query · snapshot 2026-09-12.
