The asteroid, more commonly known as the starfish, or sea star, is an invertebrate that lives mainly in an oceanic environment. These unique and unusual creatures have a number of arms that protrude away from their spiny skinned bodies. The exact number of arms depends on the species; some have only three, and the most is 42. Most people commonly associate the starfish with haveing five arms. However, there are many species of starfish that have 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 arms.
Each arm that extends out of the “body” is covered on the bottom by many tube-like feet. These feet help convey teh starfish but taking water in and the pumping it out, therefore enabling it to move. When the water is pumped, the feet extend and contract. The pumping of the water is implemented by a complex structure of internal valves that use hydraulic pressure.
THe tube feet help the starfish in feeding, as well as locomotion. Most species of starfish eat a variety of foods, some being meat, and others plants, therefore making it an omnivore. Its diet includes plankton, coral, and oysters. The larger species tend to eat birds, predominantly the sea gull. The starfish will catch the bird while it is searching for fish to feed on and then proceed to drown it. It then eats and digests its prey.
These large starfish also tend to feed on sea urchins, fish, and crabs. This makes the larger species carnivores, as opposed to omniveors. Even though the starfish has the ability to regenerate body limbs that have been torn away from their body, if any internal tissue is even slightly damage, the creature will most likely die. Other than this limitation, the starfish is subject to immortality.
The Term Paper on Endangered Species 3 Footed Ferret
Endangered Species All over the world there are species of animals and plants that are said to be "endangered." By calling them endangered, scientists say that they think the species will become extinct if something isn't done about them. Many more species are now threatened with extinction than ther should be because of many reasons. A species becomes endangered when there are fewer and fewer ...
The starfish can vary in color, from the bright and vid designs of the tropical species, to the dull oranges and yellows of the deep-ocean dwellers. Blue, red, and green are very common colors that appear on the star. The sea star has to practice of reproduction. First, the opposite sexes can mate by spawning the sperma nd the eggs into the water. After this, the female usually protects the eggs. When the eggs hatch, however, the larvae are on their own.
THe second way that the starfish uses to reproduce ties in with their ablilty to regenerate limbs. The sea star will move the two halves of their body by c rowling is separate directions. The body will split apart, and each half will become a new body. This cold-blooded creature can weigh as little as 5 ounces, of as much as 5 1/2 pounds. The can measure as little as 1-2 cm, and can reach size as large as 3 feet. EAch of these starfish lives somewhere in the wide expanse of oceans, but only in the warmer areas.
Some live very near the ocean’s bottom, while others live very close to the shore. Starfish are members of the phylum echinoderm a, and they belong to the class of asteroid ea. Som stars are know as linkia multi flore, linkia laevigata, oreaster reticulate, and acnthaster plan ci. Some belong to the genus linkia, and others to oreaster, cul cita, chorister, acanthaster, and pycnopodia.
