Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (/ ˌ æ s t ə ˈ r ɔɪ d i ə /). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish are also known as asteroids due to being in the class
The crown-of-thorns starfish (frequently abbreviated to COTS), [1] Acanthaster planci, is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyps (Scleractinia). The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thornlike spines that cover its upper surface, resembling the biblical crown of thorns. It is one of the largest ...
Like other starfish in the family Asteriidae, Marthasterias glacialis is a predator and feeds mostly on bivalve molluscs and other invertebrates. [6] It has been found that secondary metabolites known as saponins , found within the starfish's tissues, have a dramatic effect on the whelk Buccinum undatum .
Ophiura Linnaeus hunts epibenthic animals and the Antarctic Ophiosparte gigas is an active predator. Ophiura albida Forbes and Ophiura sarsii Lütken eat both infaunal prey, carrion and seafloor organic matter, and Ophionereis reticulata is omnivorous and feeds on algae, polychaetes and detritus.
The genus Linckia, as is true of other species of starfish, is recognized by scientists as being possessed of remarkable regenerative capabilities, and endowed with powers of defensive autotomy against predators: [citation needed] Although not yet documented, L. laevigata may be able to reproduce asexually, as does the related species Linckia ...
Animal research largely targets those that share similarities with humans. But studying groups like echinoderms could solve some of the most complex mysteries about the evolution of life on Earth.
If attacked by a predator such as the morning sun star (Solaster dawsoni) or the sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), the slime star emits great quantities of repellent mucus and can often evade the predator. [3] The mucus is toxic and has been shown to kill other invertebrates immersed in it. [3]
The common sunstar (Crossaster papposus) is a species of sea star (aka starfish) belonging to the family Solasteridae. [1] It is found in the northern parts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.