Feeding on urchin remains Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire

Common star (Asteria rubens)

As its name suggests, the most common starfish around the coast and the species most know from the shore line. As a scavenger, it will frequently be seen congregating in great masses where there has been good feeding. It can regenerate lost arms from the centre piece and divers may see as little as one and a half arms continuing to survive and developing replacements for those lost in an episode of "star wars"!.

Common Sunstar (Crossaster papposus)

A large multi armed starfish, the common form is orange red in colour.

Purple sunstar Solaster endeca

A purple species is also seen and on occasion may locally be almost as frequent as the "common" form

Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire

Spiny starfish

A very large species with individual arms often up to 30cm in length, perhaps 4-5 cm thick and covered with spiny protrusions. This is more frequently seen in slightly deeper waters 15m+. It is unlikely that more than 1 or 2 will be seen during a dive unless a wide area is covered.

 Bloody henry

The name covers a number of related distinctively bright red and purple coloured species

Quarry Head, Rosehearty

Another originally named starfish. Guess what- it has seven arms, fringed with white spines. The white tube feet are also frequently very pronounced in appearance. On occasion they may be locally common.

Sound of Kerrera

Feather star 

Generally found clinging to kelp or rocks and sifting the water with their feather like arms. If they lose their grip for whatever reason these stars will swim elegantly through the water until they touch down and are able to hold on again. They may take a variety of different colours and often have dark and light bandings.

Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire

A general name for a number of species with very fine arms which are easily broken . Different species may be found on hard bed rock or softer mud, generally from about 20m down. They can occur in vast numbers on the right substrate. Colours vary from pale brown through darker brown to almost black with some have a different shade of body to their arms.

Loch Dunvegan, Skye

Cushion star

Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire

Common urchin (Echinus esculentus)

The common variety which may be spotted on most dives. At popular dive spots they can on occasion be hard to come by, generally due to divers using them as food to attract fish. Its not good practice for the urchins or for the fish who start relying this for food. The urchins move by using their tube feet which also serve as a means of transporting food towards their mouth which is on the underside. Empty shells from dead specimens are frequently found lying on the bottom and are great souvenirs, if you can get them back in one piece (they are exceedingly fragile). The shells clearly show their pentasymetrical basis, particularly on the underside where the remnants of the 5-part jaw may sometimes be found.

Shore urchin

Sea cucumber