Starfish Facts on Movement

Starfishes are definitely not popular for their speed. Majority of the species of starfishes can actually just cover a distance of less than 10 inches in a single minute. Even if their speed when moving is not something that might interest the people, the method on how they transfer from one place to another is certainly fascinating. These are some of the starfish facts that many people want to know more about.

If you take a look at the underside of a starfish, you will see that there are numerous rows of what seems to be small tubes. These tubes actually serve as the feet of the starfish. They are the reason why starfishes are able to move while at the bottom of the ocean. In addition to these body structures, the water vascular system of the starfishes also plays a major role in movement.

The vascular system of the starfishes helps them through the pressure of the water that exits the legs. As water goes out, the legs are lifted upwards while some of the legs create suction to adhere on their next small steps. In a way, their legs actually do the walking motion but they release water and latch on to the surface of the ocean to create traction.

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 their Diet

Starfishes are among the most fun- looking marine animals that kids really want to pick when they go to the beach. Because of their appearance, people get more interested about these animals. One of the common questions about starfish facts that kids ask is about the food and the diet of starfishes. The diet of these sea creatures is actually quite interesting because of the variety of food that they eat. There are more than one species of starfishes in 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...

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. More...

Body Cooling

All types of living organisms will always have a suitable environment where they can survive. Slight changes in the environment will be acceptable because of an organism’s ability to adapt. But when the environment gets too extreme, the organism’s adaptation mechanisms may not work anymore. Temperature plays a vital role when animals choose their habitat. Starfishes live under the sea but they can be affected by water temperature levels too. Based on starfish facts gathered by researchers, starfishes can start More...

Locating a Starfish

If you want to find a starfish, go to a nearby rocky beach. Typically, starfish stick to underwater rocks near the seashore. This is the best area to locate these wonderful marine creatures. It is a good idea to look forward to low tide. It is at low tide that the sea reveals a lot of rocks, which have been underwater. In addition, it leaves behind rock pools where there is a vast variety of sea creatures. The best time 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...