Sea stars, also known as starfish, are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea.
Interesting Facts about Starfish:
Starfish are also known as sea stars and are not really fish despite the name been given to them. These are echinoderms, which are found abundant in the deep blue seas and shallow waters as well.
The characteristic feature of the starfish is the 5 (or even more) arms. The surface of these arms is often spiky in appearance.
If you have ever encountered a starfish and turned it over, you will find projections on the underside. These are known as tube feet, which serve two basic functions - one being able to move around the ocean floor and the other to open up a scallop or clam.
An interesting fact about the starfish is that it has two stomachs. The cardiac stomach can help the starfish to engulf food outside its body. When the cardiac stomach comes back into the body, the food in it is transferred to the pyloric stomach.
The tube feet play an important role in helping the starfish to procure its food. The tube feet are used to open up the oysters or clams. Then the stomach is extended into the shell to pull the food inside.
Have you ever tried locating the mouth of a starfish? It is located on the ventral surface, underneath the upper surface.
The total number of species of the starfish is a mind-boggling number of around 1800! This would represent only the various kinds of starfish have been discovered till date.
Starfish are found in all the oceans around the world. A large variety of the same is seen in the tropical area of the Indo-Pacific. These also live in the coral reefs and seabeds that are really at great depths. Starfish are never found in fresh water.
The Coscinasterias Calamaria also known as the eleven-armed sea star has an armspread that can go up to 30 cm. As the name suggests, it does have eleven arms but there are times when the number can go up to 14.
The starfish have microscopic eyes at the end of each arm; this enables the starfish to view movement and differentiate between light and dark.
Most starfish have a spiky surface as a means of protection. The crown-of-thorns starfish is known for its thorny spines that are present all over the body.
The patterns seen in a starfish are many. Bright colors and stripes occur often in case of starfish.
In case a starfish loses its arm, it is capable of regenerating the same!they live for a while
The live up to 98 years old.They eat oysters and clams.
http://animalstime.com/starfish-facts-kids-starfish-diet-habitat/
Starfish live in all the oceans, are bottom feeders, and can regenerate lost limbs.
There are 5 starpoints on a starfish.
A Starfish has 5 sides.
Most species have five arms. They do not have fins.
they dont age very fast the can get pretty old!
starfish has 5 tapering arms radiating from a central disc.
The ISBN of The Arm of the Starfish is 0-374-30027-5.
5 Legs (on a) Starfish
Well starfish have 5 sides, and an octopus has 8 legs that squirm around.
The starfish has 10 digestive glands. 2 in each of its 5 arms.
5