Seastars and Anemone

Northern Pacific Seastar
Introduced to Port Phillip Bay in 1995. By 2002, they had multiplied to more than 100 million individuals. There is no known control method. Adults are yellow, while juvenile animals generally have blotches of purple on the yellow background. Arm radius to 230 mm. They can be distinguished from the native Seastar by the pointy arms. They are active predators of bivalves and are usually visible from the shore when the bay temperature is warmer. During the colder months they move into deeper water.

Sand Anemone
Found just below the waters edge at low tide. It is generally well camouflaged by shellgrit. They have three rows of hollow tentacles The tentacles vary in colour (grey orange or white) but all have horizontal black stripes. The cream coloured column (body) is attached to a substrate several centimetres below the sand. The tentacles shoot out small barbs to catch food. Their preferred food is bivalves. They are unable to support themselves or operate their tentacles if they become exposed at low tide.