Sunflower Star
(Pycnopodia helianthoides)

The sunflower star is also called the 20-armed sun star, although the number of arms it can have ranges from 15-24. The genus name means "dense feet", which refers to the multitudes (up to 15,000) of large tube feet that this sea star has, compared to most sea stars. These allow them to move very fast (1 foot a minute), again, compared to most sea stars, and grip their food. They are also called "sea pigs" because they will eat pretty much anything and everything. They can grow to be up to a meter across. They are very common in the Pacific (I see them all the time when I dive here in Friday Harbor). They are soft and sort of floppy/mushy when you pick them up, and can be pink, purple, orange, or bluish.