NMR spectroscopy, capillary GLC, and GLC-MS are used to studs, the composition of free and sulfated sterols from the far-east starfish Leptasterias alaskensis asiatica (Fischer) and L. fisheri (Djakonov). The total free sterols of both species are shown to have similar qualitative and quantitative compositions and contain mainly Delta(7)-sterols. Sterol sulfate fractions contain cholesterol sulfate as the main component but differ in the ratios of Delta(5):Delta(0):Delta(7)-sterol derivatives. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed. A ne, v steroid, 3beta-hydroxycholest-5-en-7-one sulfate, was isolated.