Leptasterias spp. are six rayed sea stars that are found in rocky intertidal habitats ranging from the California coast to Alaska. In central California, Leptasterias spp. can be found in a variety of intertidal habitats in mixed populations. There are multiple clades that represent these populations and it is thought that they may vary behaviorally, including habitat preference. To investigate this individuals were collected from Pigeon Point, San Mateo, CA and characterized into two habitat categories according to where they were found: rocky habitat and pool habitat. To test for behavioral variation among habitats, righting response was used as a performance measure. Righting response time was measured in the field and was repeatedly measured in the lab under controlled conditions. It is hypothesized that individuals living in pool habitats are more mobile due to wave action and therefore will have a faster righting response. This study suggests that there may be significant performance differences among these habitat preferences and that this may also be reflected in the genetics. A methodology for further investigating these suggestions is offered here
