Starfish

Hassock

Suckers on a starfish, known as tube feet, are small, flexible, fluid-filled tubes that are part of the water vascular system. They work by contracting and expanding to create suction, allowing the starfish to anchor themselves, move, and capture prey. Tube feet also help the starfish control the flow of water in and out of their body, aiding in respiration and circulation.

Organisms with radial symmetry and tube feet are typically found in water environments, such as sea stars and sea urchins. Radial symmetry allows these organisms to efficiently capture food and navigate their watery habitats, while tube feet help in movement and feeding by using a hydraulic system to create suction. Both features are adaptations that make these animals well-suited for life in aquatic environments.

No, sea stars use their tube feet to pry open the clam's shell and then evert their stomach into the clam to digest its soft tissues. Without the use of tube feet, the sea star would not be able to access the clam's flesh to consume it.

Feather stars and sea lilies are related but not the same. They both belong to the class Crinoidea, but feather stars can crawl and swim while sea lilies are sessile, anchored to the seafloor by a stalk.

Some protists are phototrophs ie they get energy via photosynthesis. . Energy from sunlight is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic materials to be used in cellular functions such as biosynthesis and respiration.

Examples are: Algae, Dinoflagellates or Euglena .

Seas might be considered star-filled when their surface reflects the twinkling light of stars in the night sky. This phenomenon occurs because the water's smooth surface acts like a mirror and reflects the natural light from stars above, creating an illusion of the sea being filled with stars.

Starfish reproduce externally by releasing eggs and sperm into the water where fertilization occurs. The fertilized eggs develop into larvae which are released into the water. The larvae eventually settle on the ocean floor and develop into adult starfish.

Protists maintain water balance through osmoregulation, which involves controlling the movement of water and ions across their cell membranes. They use contractile vacuoles to regulate water content by expelling excess water that enters the cell through osmosis. Additionally, some protists have adapted to specific environments by evolving structures or behaviors that help them avoid dehydration or over-hydration.

Fungi are beneficial because they break down organic matter, recycle nutrients, and can be used in medicine and food production. Protists play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems as food sources for other organisms and in nutrient cycling. Some protists are also used in research and biotechnology.

In protists, the processes involved in the transport of materials include diffusion, active transport, phagocytosis, and pinocytosis. Diffusion allows small molecules to passively move across the cell membrane, while active transport uses energy to move materials against a concentration gradient. Phagocytosis involves the engulfment of solid particles by the cell, while pinocytosis facilitates the uptake of fluids and dissolved molecules.

One piece of evidence supporting the idea that poriferans evolved from protists is the similarity in genetic sequences between certain protists and sponges. Additionally, some protists share characteristics with poriferans, such as the presence of collar cells, which suggests a possible evolutionary relationship between the two groups. Studies of early fossil records also provide some evidence of a transitional form between protists and sponges.

Protists can have both positive and negative effects on the animal they live in. Some protists can form mutualistic relationships with animals, providing benefits like aiding in digestion or protecting against pathogens. However, other protists can be parasitic and harm the animal by causing infections or diseases.

The frog blastula is formed through holoblastic cleavage, resulting in a multicellular blastula with a fluid-filled cavity (blastocoel). In contrast, the sea star blastula is formed through radial holoblastic cleavage, leading to a solid blastula with no blastocoel. Additionally, the frog blastula undergoes gastrulation to form a gastrula with three germ layers, while the sea star blastula directly develops into a bipinnaria larva without gastrulation.

Echinoderms like sea stars have tube feet that are arranged in a radial pattern around their body, allowing them to capture prey from any direction. Their ability to extend their stomach out of their mouth also helps them feed on prey that might be out of reach. This feeding strategy is effective for an organism that stays anchored in one spot.

Starfish undergo external development. Fertilization usually occurs externally in the water, and the larvae develop outside the adult's body before settling down and metamorphosing into the adult form.

Humans effect sea stars because now that the earth is heating up, the water is rising, and the sea stars shadow water tide pools are being turned into part of a deepier water system that they can't survive on.

expands and becomes rigid due to increased internal pressure, allowing the starfish to move and grip onto surfaces. This hydraulic system is controlled by a series of muscles that regulate the flow of water in and out of the tube feet, enabling the starfish to navigate its environment.

Baby sea stars are called "larvae" or "planktonic juveniles" before they mature into adults.

Sea stars like to eat a variety of prey including small fish, clams, mussels, and barnacles. They use their tube feet to pry open the shells of their prey and then extend their stomach out of their mouth to digest the soft tissues.

The dorsal surface of a starfish refers to the top surface of its body, which is typically covered with spines or other protective structures. It is opposite to the ventral surface, which is the underside of the starfish that may have tube feet used for locomotion.

Both crayfish and starfish have a cardiac stomach and a pyloric stomach. The cardiac stomach is responsible for receiving and grinding food, while the pyloric stomach is responsible for digesting and absorbing nutrients.

Seagrasses, such as turtle grass and manatee grass, can thrive in saltwater environments where starfish are found. These plants tolerate high salinity levels, provide habitat for various marine species, and help maintain a balanced ecosystem. Seagrasses also serve as a food source for certain organisms living in these habitats.

Both bacteria and protists share processes such as reproduction, metabolism, growth, and response to stimuli. Additionally, they both possess genetic material in the form of DNA and have cell membranes that regulate the flow of substances in and out of the cell.

The blastula in sea star development is larger than the fertilized egg. As the zygote undergoes multiple rounds of cell division, it forms a hollow ball of cells called the blastula. This growth is accompanied by an increase in overall size.