Sea stars, commonly called starfish, are some of the most interesting and recognizable creatures of the sea. Although they are not technically fish, they ware part of the aquatic phylum “echinodermata”. Echinodermata are a family of marine creatures that include sand dollars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Starfish are found in almost every marine habitat and play an important role in the maintenance of healthy ocean life. With more than 1600 species of starfish in existence, their impact on the sea can not be understated! Read below for more starfish wall art facts.
Eating
Starfish are commonly associated with fun times on the beach, but did you know that starfish actually have a dark side? We mean it! Starfish are one of the ocean’s most prolific predators. They feed on invertebrates like mussels and clams, which are usually found on the ocean floor. Horrifyingly, starfish usually eat using a method called “stomach inversion”. Essentially, starfish extend their stomach outside of their bodies and cover their prey with it. They latch onto their prey and start digesting it while their stomachs are still positioned outside of their body. Once the prey is partially digested, the starfish retracts its stomach back into its body. Once they’ve regained their stomach, starfish finish the digestion process with all ten of their digestive glands! Gross! Read below to find out more starfish wall art facts.
Moving
Ever held a starfish in your hand? You’ll notice that the back of a starfish is sort of “hollow” and covered with thousands of spiky little fibers. These fibrous tubes are what allow starfish to move under the sea. They essentially act like feet! Each “foot” has two sets of cells that secrete a sticky compound that allows them to firmly attach to solid surfaces. The first set of cells releases a sticky compound the bonds the outermost layer of the tube foot with a surface. The second set of cells releases a compound that “unglues” the foot from a surface. Essentially, these secretory cells work in tandem so that the starfish can take little steps! Read below for more starfish wall art facts!
Regenerating
Imagine having an appendage cut off, only to slowly watch it grow back. That’s so insane that it’s almost impossible to truly comprehend! Did you know that most species of starfish have this ability? It’s called limb regeneration. If ever damaged, starfish naturally regrow whichever part of its body that it lost. Starfish are so advanced that they’ve learned to use this bodily function as a means for self-defense. If a shark were to have a starfish in its teeth, the starfish would simply break away from the part that the shark is holding. Detaching body parts is how starfish have such enduring longevity as a species. Read below for the next starfish wall art fact.
Organs
As previously mentioned, looking at the back of a starfish is somewhat perplexing. The seem to be hollow aside from the tubular feet that compose much of its backside. You may be thinking, “How does a starfish function without any organs?”. To answer your question, the answer is water! Seawater is essentially the blood of a starfish. Seawater is pumped in and out a starfish’s body; the small organs inside of the starfish use the nutrients within seawater to function. Read below for more starfish wall art facts.
Skin
When exposed to water, the texture of starfish is most comparable to the feel of leather. The tough, leathery skin is made up of a compound called calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is extremely hard, make it very difficult for predator to chew or completely consume starfish. Due to the variety of different sea environments, many starfish species have evolved depending on their environments. Starfish come in several different types of colors and tones to better camouflage themselves in their particular surroundings. Some colors are even cautionary symbols that scare predators, keeping them far away! Did you enjoy these starfish wall art facts?
Conclusion
Starfish are one of the most interesting sea creatures because their existence is somewhat hard to believe. They have the ability to regenerate body parts and “breathe” through seawater despite lacking a brain and a nervous system. They eat with a detachable stomach and utilize camouflage to evade predators. They’re just so strange! We hope these starfish wall art facts have give you a newfound respect for these amazing creatures!