Dissecting a Starfish
When considering dissecting a starfish, you must understand that this creature is a sea animal with a proportional endoskeleton. It feeds on mollusks and moves with hundreds of extremely small tube feet. Now, prepare the necessary tools for dissecting the starfish. These include a probe, a scalpel, dissection tray, scissors and pins. You must wear goggles and protective clothing to cover yourself against debris.
Pin your starfish into the tray in such a way that its top view faces you. Use the scalpel for cutting off one ray’s tip. Create two parallel, long incisions between the tip and the central disk, with each incision being close to the ray’s edge. Peel off the top tissue layer and find the lateral canal (to which the tube feet connect) and ring canal (to which all the rays’ lateral canals attach) then label these portions.
Expose and label the digestive glands of the starfish. Find the stomach by eliminating tissue out of the central disk. After labeling the stomach, find the gonads. You cannot detect the starfish’s gender without using a telescope because the gonads of starfish males and females look alike. After dissecting the starfish and before cleaning up the work area, ask your instructor first if you have located all the required starfish parts by letting him see all your labels.
|
Starfish Facts on How They Protect Themselves
When a prey is being stalked by predators, the first reaction of the prey is always to flee the scene. It will only be during compromising situations wherein the prey would start to be in fight mode. Unfortunately, starfishes cannot just escape from predators because most of them are generally slow. So they use numerous other defense mechanisms to protect themselves. According to the starfish facts gathered by zoologists, certain species of starfishes have a chemical coating in their bodies More... Regeneration and Self Cloning
In general, starfish regenerate by way of a three-stage process. Firstly, the repair stage heals the creature’s exposed wound. This phase is followed by the regenerative stage, in which the body of the echinoderm produces new cells and begins new growth. The final phase is referred to as the advanced regenerative stage, during which significant cell proliferation starts. Growth factors, which are neurally derived, determine the processes responsible for the formation of patterns during the last stage. If anything intervenes More... Eliminating Fish Odor from Starfish
The first step of ridding starfish of the fish odor is scraping away any leftover tissue from its underside using a little butter knife. Also, brush off all organic matter, such as seaweed and bugs, which may be sticking to the shell’s spiny top. Combine one part water and three parts bleach together in a large mixing bowl. You have to make sure that the depth of this mixture is enough to soak the starfish that you would like to More... Starfish Facts
Starfish, also popularly recognized equally as sea stars, common name for 5 orders and about 1500 living species of marine invertebrate characterized by radially arranged arms having locomotory tube feet. Actually, starfish cannot be considered as fish in spite of the name provided to these sea animals. Some known starfish facts are that they belong to the group called echinoderms. They can be found in great numbers in the depths of the ocean and as well as in shallow waters. More... Starfish Facts on Environmental Dangers and Threats
According to zoologists who study starfishes and their impact to the environment, these sea creatures have a very important role in the oceans. They may look like decorations in the ocean floor but they are actually considered as keystone species because they contribute in creating balance of species under the sea which can be done through predation. With the starfish facts that people already know, it will be a good start to know what these animals do so that people More... Other Cool Starfish Facts
There are various marine creatures, such as manta rays and sharks, which can prey on starfishes and penetrate their solid skin. There are species of birds that can feed on starfishes, which come too close to the water surface. The larger starfish species may sometimes feed on smaller marine species. The lifespan of a starfish can be up to thirty-five years if it is able to get away from its numerous predators. What makes the starfish very different from most More... Is your Starfish Still Alive or Already Dead?
In order to tell whether a starfish is alive or dead, you need to observe it. Starfishes do not move frequently, but they move whenever they are fed. The starfish is alive if it is moving. Now, wear a pair of gloves that are waterproof. Gently scoop up the starfish without getting it out of the water. The animal can be stressed by any sudden alterations in its environment, and caused to start disintegrating or to shed their limbs. Being More... Feeding a Red Starfish
When considering feeding a red starfish, you need to observe the animal to see what it is and it is not eating. A red starfish could be feeding on bacteria out of your aquarium glass, but steering away from other foods that you provide for other inhabitants in your tank. As an omnivore, the starfish must be given nutrients from the two sources. If frozen, your food will have to be thawed. Use tweezers or forceps for putting a thawed More... Preserving a Starfish
The first thing that you will do when preserving the starfish is cleaning it. Use a little mild soap and warm water for washing the starfish. Soak the animal for about forty-eight hours in rubbing alcohol. You do not have to clean the creature first, but you may choose to do so. If rubbing alcohol is not what you prefer to use, you may alternatively use a mixture of five parts water and one part formaldehyde. This solution will give More... |