Starfish Facts
Below are some of the facts about starfish:
- Although calles as Starfish, they are not fish. They are related to sea urchins, sea lilies and sand dollars. They do not have gills, fins and scales like fish.
- Starfish do not have any brain or any blood. Rather they live on the filtered sea water as their nervous system pumps out the nutrient from sea water.
- If you leave starfish in fresh water they will not survive due to lack of nutrients.
- Also know as sea stars, they can be very heavy. There are many starfish who weighs about 11 pounds.
- There are a number of species of starfish and they can live in both warm and cold climate. Actually there are more than 2000 species in the world.
- Usually they have five arms but certain species of starfish have more than five arms too.
- For movement they do not have any tails like fish. Rather they use their tine tube feet for moving along.
- Sea star has the capacity of regenerating their arms. It may take some time but they can do it. Thus, if they are attacked by any predator they can leave their arm and move away.
- Although it varies from one specie to another, yet the skin of sea star may be leathery or prickly. On their upper side there is a tough covering made up of calcium carbonate. They use this for protection from predators.
- The circulatory system of star fish is not made up of blood but of sea water. Through its sieve plate sea water gets pumped inside the vascular system of the animal.
- The main food for star fish are clams, mussels, snails and barnacles. They have their own unique way to eat these creatures.
- They have different way of eating their prey. They stomach comes out of their body to eat the prey and then enters in again.
- They do not have a brain but have a nervous system. Whenever their one arm becomes active it becomes dominant and overrides any action of any other arm.
- A sea star can live up to 35 years of age.
- Most species of starfish have distinct female and male individuals that helps them in reproducing further.
- Certain starfish like spiny sun star, sun star and leather star have toxins in their arm and thus are venomous to humans.
- Starfish may lack other organs but have eyes that are located on the tip of their arms. These eyespots helps them in making out light and dark.