Starfish

From Toy Animal Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. About 1,500 living species of starfish occur on the seabed in all the world's oceans, from the tropics to subzero polar waters. They are found from the intertidal zone down to abyssal depths, 6,000 m (20,000 ft) below the surface.

Starfish are among the most familiar of marine invertebrates. They typically have a central disc and five arms, though some species have more than this. The aboral or upper surface may be smooth, granular or spiny, and is covered with overlapping plates. Many species are brightly coloured in various shades of red or orange, while others are blue, grey or brown. Starfish have tube feet operated by a hydraulic system and a mouth at the centre of the oral or lower surface. They are opportunistic feeders and are mostly predators on benthic invertebrates.

For more information, visit the Wikipedia entry

Get back to Echinodermata

Bat star.jpg Bat star Biscuit-star.jpgBiscuit star JDreamBlueBatStar.JPG Blue bat star Blue Linckia.jpg Blue Linckia
Common comet star.jpg Common comet star Common starfish.jpg Common starfish Common sunstar.jpg Common sunstar Crown-of-thorns starfish.jpg Crown-of-thorns starfish
Edmonds sea star.jpg Edmond's sea star Horned sea star.jpg Horned sea star Icon star.jpg Icon star Mediterranean red sea star.jpg Mediterranean red sea star
Necklace starfish.jpg Necklace starfish JDreamNPseastar.JPGNorthern Pacific sea star Ocellate sea star.jpg Ocellate sea star Purple sunstar.jpg Purple sunstar
Red sea star.jpg Red sea star Rose sea star.jpg Rose sea star Sunflower sea star

Unidentified sea stars