“People who study echinoderms do so because we revel in their weirdness.” - Chris Mah
Sunflower stars are charismatic, vibrant megafauna, who serve a crucial role in kelp forest ecosystems. Revel with us in their weirdness through the gallery below! All image rights are reserved by the listed photographers and unlicensed reuse is not permitted.
A Sunflower Sea Star clings to pier in British Columbia, courtesy of Starfriend Marco Mazza, @marco_mazza
A Sunflower Sea Star scavenges a crab in Washington, courtesy of Starfriend Paul Selvaggio
A Sunflower Sea Star clings to a rock in Washington, courtesy of Starfriend Paul Selvaggio
A Sunflower Sea Star scavenges a crab in Washington, courtesy of Starfriend Paul Selvaggio
A Sunflower Sea Star raises its arm, exposing its podia, at Friday Harbor Laboratory, courtesy of Starfriend Paul Selvaggio
A Sunflower Sea Star clings to the side of an enclosure in Friday Harbor Laboratory, courtesy of Starfriend Paul Selvaggio
A brittle star clings to the head of a sunflower star prowling the sea floor, courtesy of starfriend Pat Webster, @underwaterpat
Purople urchins swarm a kelp holdfast, courtest of starfriend Sage Ono, @sageonophotography
A gaggle of purple urchins munch the holdfast and stipe of a kelp sporophyte, courtesy of starfriend Sage Ono, @sageonophotography
Purple urhcins munch throw a series of bull kelp stipes, courtesy of starfriend Sage Ono, @sageonophotography
A diver shines a light on a sunflower star along the ocean floor, courtesy of starfriend Abbey Dias, @abbeydias
A sunflower star crawls on a rock in a kelp forest, courtesy of starfriend Scott Gabara, @scottgabara
Hannibal, a juvenile sunflower star at Sunflower Star Laboratory's conservation facility, crawls along a rock on our wet table. Courtesy of Reuven Bank
Hannibal, a juvenile sunflower star at Sunflower Star Laboratory's conservation facility, crawls along a rock on our wet table. Courtesy of Reuven Bank
An adult sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A juvenile sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A close up image of a sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A juvenile sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A juvenile sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A close up image of a sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A sea star afflicted by Sea Star Wasting Syndrome, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A macro image of a sunflower sea star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A close up image of a sunflower star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A macro image of a sunflower sea star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A macro image of the pedicellariae of a sea star, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A macro image of the dorsal side of a sunflower star, depicting an orange lava-like flow, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A macro image of the dorsal side of a sunflower star, depicting an orange lava-like flow, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
The underside of a sunflower star, showing its mouth and thousands of tube feet, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A juvenile sunflower star crawls along a rock, copyright Kevin Lee, diverkevin.com all rights reserved
A juvenile sunflower star at Sunflower Star Laboratory soon after settlement, courtesy of Dr. Jennifer Adler, all rights reserved
