Sea stars, also known colloquially as starfish, have rebounded on Oregon's coast from a wasting disease that wiped out great numbers. Scientists still aren't sure what caused the disease. Visitors may see any of these 10 most common varieties found on Oregon beaches.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Henricia leviuscula

This sea star, which is commonly found along the North American Pacific coast, is know as the Pacific blood star. The population is rebounding quickly along the Oregon coast after almost complete extinction four years ago. An unknown wasting disease killed up to 90 percent of the starfish population on the West coast from Alaska to Mexico.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Pycnopodia helianthoides

It's easy to see why this sea star is known as the Sunflower Star. The wasting disease that nearly wiped out starfish along the Oregon coast is not completely gone but populations have rebounded in the past few years.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Solaster dawsoni

The morning sun star is a member of the family Solasteridae. It likes the cold, rocky intertidal zones of the Oregon coast. A variety of densovirus is the likely cause of wasting syndrome among sea stars. Cornell University marine microbiologist Ian Hewson found larger amounts of the virus in sick sea stars than healthy ones, and the amount of virus increased as the disease progressed.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Solaster stimpsoni

This variety has lots of nicknames including Stimpson's sun star, orange sun star and sun sea star. Researchers don't know what triggered the outbreak of the virus, which can be found in plankton, sandy ocean bottoms, and sea urchins, and has been found in museum specimens of sea stars dating to 1942.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Dermasterias imbricata

This sea star, known commonly as the leather star, likes to prey on anemones.

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Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Sciences Center

Pisaster ochraceus

This purple or ochre star is commonly found in rocky tidal areas of the Oregon coast. After the mass mortality in 2014, baby sea stars migrated to rocky shores in exceptionally high numbers.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Evasterias troschellii

The common names for this starfish are the mottled star, Troschell's true star and false ochre sea star. In Greek, "asterias" means "starred" and "ev" means true or good. It's tempting to hoist a sea star for a photo, but visitors to Oregon's beaches should leave the sea stars alone, according to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Pisaster brevispinus

This sea star can be called a giant pink star or a variation. It is also known as a short-spined sea star.

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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Orthansterias koehleri

In the marine environment, it can be hard to pick out the colors of the rainbow star, also known as the red-banded sea star.

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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Mediaster aequalis

This star is known as the vermillion star or the equal arm star. Prying animals off rocks can tear off their arms and feet and squeeze out their organs, state parks experts say.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Leptasterias hexactis

This sea star is commonly know as the six-rayed star. It can be gray, green, pink, purple or orange.