Pola sebaran dan perilaku bintang laut intertidal di Teluk Gilimanuk dan Pantai Cekik diteliti dari September 2012 hingga Januari 2013. Pola sebaran dipetakan dengan menggunakan GPS, dan dikuantifikasikan dengan menggunakan kuadrat 1 m2, yang diletakkan pada total 12 transek untuk masing-masing lokasi. Perilaku diamati dengan menandakan 10 individu Protoreaster nodosus secara manual dan mengukur titik perpindahan selama tiga hari. Pemetaan dan analisis nilai dispersi dengan menggunakan Indeks dispersi Morisita terstandarisasi menghasilkan pola sebaran mengelompok untuk Protoreaster nodosus dan Archaster typicus, dan pola sebaran acak untuk Echinaster luzonicus, Linckia laevigata dan Linckia multifora. Sebaran mengelompok tersebut dapat disebabkan oleh batasan habitat, sebaran makanan dan atraksi intraspesifik, sedangkan sebaran acak menandakan sifat acak atau seragam pada pakan dan karakter habitat. Studi perilaku memperlihatkan bahwa P. nodosus bergerak secara direksional, dan dapat berpengaruh pada pola sebarannya di lokasi.

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Distribution pattern and behavior of intertidal asteroids in Gilimanuk Bay and Cekik Beach were investigated from September 2012 to January 2013. Distribution patterns for most species were mapped by using GPS, and quantified by using 1 m2 quadrats, which were deployed on total 12 transects in the intertidal zone at each location. Behavior was observed by using manual tagging on ten individuals of Protoreaster nodosus and measuring points of diplacement throughout a period of three days. Mapping and dispersion analysis using Morisita‟s standardized index of dispersion yielded clumped dispersion for Protoreaster nodosus and Archaster typicus, and random dispersion for Echinaster luzonicus, Linckia laevigata and Linckia multifora. Clumped dispersion in some species might be influenced by habitat boundaries, food dispersion or intraspecific attraction, while random dispersion suggests randomness or uniformity in food distribution and habitat character. Behavioral studies showed that P. nodosus moves in a highly directional manner, and might carry further implications to its clumped dispersion at location.