# Ochre star (*Pisaster ochraceus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/ochre-star  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The ochre star (Pisaster ochraceus) is an echinoderm in the family Asteriidae, order Forcipulatida and class Asteroidea. It is also called the purple star, ochre sea star or purple sea star. The species was named by Brandt in 1835 and is listed as living, not extinct, by the Catalogue of Life.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Echinodermata
- class: Asteroidea
- order: Forcipulatida
- family: Asteriidae
- genus: Pisaster
- species: *Pisaster ochraceus* (Brandt, 1835)

Synonyms: *Asteracanthion margaritifer*, *Asterias conferta*, *Asterias fissispina*, *Asterias ianthina*, *Asterias janthina*, *Asterias margaritifera*, *Asterias margaritifera*, *Asterias ochracea*, *Pisaster confertus*, *Pisaster fissispinus*, *Pisaster ochraceus ochraceus*, *Pisaster ochraceus segnis*, *Pisaster ochraceus var. nodiferus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the ochre star?

The ochre star is an echinoderm, an invertebrate in the class Asteroidea and the family Asteriidae.

### What is the scientific name of the ochre star?

The scientific name of the ochre star is Pisaster ochraceus, in the genus Pisaster.

### Who named the ochre star and when?

The ochre star was named by Brandt in 1835, written as (Brandt, 1835).

### What other names does the ochre star have?

The ochre star is also called the purple star, ochre sea star and purple sea star.

### Is the ochre star extinct?

No, the ochre star is a living species, not extinct, according to the Catalogue of Life.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Ochre star (Pisaster ochraceus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/ochre-star