Species profile
Six-rayed Star
Leptasterias hexactis
At a glance
Six-rayed Star (Leptasterias hexactis) is an echinoderm present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 1,579 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, British Columbia, and Washington the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Has exactly 6 arms, unlike most sea stars, which typically have 5.
- One of the smallest Pacific sea stars, usually 1–3 inches across.
- Found in rocky intertidal zones from Alaska to central California.
- Broods eggs under its body rather than releasing them into open water.
- Young emerge as fully formed miniature sea stars, skipping a planktonic larval stage.
Where Six-rayed Star are seen
Background
Leptasterias hexactis is a species of starfish in the family Asteriidae, commonly known as the six-rayed star. It is found in the intertidal zone of the western seaboard of the United States. It is a predator and is unusual among starfish in that it broods its eggs and young.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Six-rayed Star 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.