Species profile
Eccentric Sand Dollar
Dendraster excentricus
At a glance
Eccentric Sand Dollar (Dendraster excentricus) is an echinoderm regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Bag limits are uniform at 6 per angler across the 2 regulating jurisdictions.
Confirmed by 9,761 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, Washington, and British Columbia the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The 'eccentric' name refers to the off-center petal pattern on its flattened test.
- Juveniles swallow heavy sand grains as ballast to avoid being swept away by waves.
- Live sand dollars tilt at an angle in mild currents to filter-feed on plankton.
- Their tests can reach about 9 cm across, and individuals can live up to 13 years.
- They form dense beds on sandy Pacific seafloors, sometimes numbering millions of individuals.
Where Eccentric Sand Dollar are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Eccentric Sand Dollar
Background
Eccentric sand dollar (Dendraster excentricus), also known as the sea-cake, biscuit-urchin, western sand dollar, or Pacific sand dollar, is a member of the order Clypeasteroida, better known as sand dollars, a species of flattened, burrowing sea urchins found in the northeast Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Baja California.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Eccentric Sand Dollar article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other starfish/urchins/cucumbers on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.