These quirky creatures of the ocean have some fascinating facts that will leave you in awe.
1. Sea stars aren’t actually fish! They belong to a group of marine invertebrates called echinoderms, which also includes sea urchins and sea cucumbers.
2. Sea stars have a unique way of moving. Instead of using fins or flippers, they have hundreds of tiny tube feet on their undersides. It’s like they have their own built-in suction cups, making them the original “hands-free” explorers of the ocean.
3. Most Sea stars can regenerate their limbs. If a Sea star loses an arm, it can actually grow it back! Talk about having the ultimate superpower of self-renewal.
4. Sea stars have a peculiar way of eating. They have a stomach that can be pushed out of their body to engulf their prey. It’s like having a conveyor belt of digestion! After a meal, they retract their stomach back into the body.
5. Ever wondered how Sea stars reproduce? Well, some species have separate genders, but others can change their sex! They are true masters of adaptation and gender-fluidity.
More about Sea Stars & other echinoderm like Sea Cucumbers, Sea Urchins & others you can find in the photo guide Starfishes and Other Echinoderms of the Tropical Indo-Pacific
