Category: Seastars and relatives view all from this category

Description 3 1/8" (79 mm) wide, 1/4" (6 mm) high. Flat, disklike. Reddish- or purplish-brown, darker above, paler below. Outline nearly circular, test flattened, covered with many close-set, short spines; 5 petal-shaped loops of tube feet on upper surface. Mouth central on lower surface, anus at rear margin, 5 branched furrows leading to mouth.

Habitat On sand bottoms; from low-tide line to water 5280' (1613 m) deep.

Range Labrador to Maryland; Alaska to Puget Sound.

Discussion Sand dollars feed on fine particles of organic matter, and are, in turn, eaten by flounder, cod, haddock, and other bottom-feeding fishes.