“Far from seeking the buffets of the surf, [C. triplicata] retires into secluded nooks where the surge of the waves is no more than a gentle swishing to and fro."

-Robert F. Griggs, 1907

 

Cymathere triplicata attaches to rocks in upper subtidal region and lower intertidal (2) and is almost always submerged in water (2). If you are having trouble finding C. triplicata, it is best to seek habitats such as tidepools that are located near high water flow, but protected from the brunt of the wave action.

 

 

From my personal observations, C. triplicata is often arranged in aggregated clumps and each individual blade cascades outward from this common area of attachment.  Often, sea urchins living in surrounding burrows of C. triplicata’s habitat will grab the tip of the blades with their tubefeet and pull the blade taught to feed.

Website created by:
Andrea Dingeldein
ZooBot Spring Quarter 2009
Friday Harbor Laboratories
University of Washington
ald0750@uncw.edu