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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 Asteroidea.
Sladen, 1889 [1] Solaster paxillatus , the orange sun star , is a species of starfish found at varying depths in the northern Pacific Ocean. It is a natural predator of the starfish Asterias amurensis .
Aboral surface of an Asterias forbesi sea star showing ring of pedicellariae surrounding spine. Asterias, like most starfish genera in the order Forcipulatida, are recognisable externally by their pedicellariae, many thousands of tiny jaw-like structures on the skin which can snap shut to nip at prey or predators.
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 .
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 ...
Also known as pyjama wrasse; scientific name psuedocheilinus hexataenia. Maximum length: 3.1 inches Wild habitat: East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, Australia, Red Sea, Indonesia, East Pacific ...
Anasterias antarctica is a predator and scavenger. Its diet includes isopods (Sphaeromatidae), gastropod molluscs including Pareuthria spp., bivalve molluscs, chitons and barnacles. Larger starfish take larger prey. [3] It is the dominant predator in the tidal and shallow subtidal zones of the Falkland Islands.
Many of the genera in this family exhibit brilliant colors and patterns, which sometimes can be attributed to aposematism and crypsis to protect themselves from predators. Some ophidiasterids possess remarkable powers of regeneration, enabling them to either reproduce asexually or to survive serious damage made by predators or forces of nature ...