Starfish — unique creatures, so it is not surprising that they are the object of close attention of biologists. Beautiful in their own way, they lead a very peculiar lifestyle, spending most of their time motionless somewhere on the seabed.
Interesting facts about starfish
- The diameter of the largest starfish can reach a meter, and the weight — five kilograms.
- Starfish, like jellyfish, have neither blood nor a brain (interesting facts about jellyfish).
- Oxygen is obtained by starfish from the water with the entire surface of the body, since they have no gills.
- We know about 2000 species of these creatures, but new ones are discovered from time to time.
- Most types of starfish have five arms, but there are those who have twenty or even fifty.
- Their ability to regenerate is simply amazing — they can fully restore lost body parts, although it takes a long time. A lost ray, for example, will grow back in 10-12 months.
- Starfish have eyes — they are located at the ends of its rays.
- All their types — predators.
- They cannot swim, but use many small legs to move along the seabed.
- Under certain conditions, many types of starfish can change sex.
- Despite their apparent clumsiness, starfish move surprisingly fast along the bottom.
- Some deep-sea species of these creatures live at a depth of ten kilometers.
- Representatives of most types of starfish will willingly eat even their own relatives on occasion.
- On the underside of each star ray there are up to 15 thousand tiny suckers.
- The first starfish on Earth appeared 200-250 million years ago.
- Some fish species eat starfish (interesting facts about fish).
- Some types of starfish reproduce by splitting in two.
- The heart of this creature contracts only 5-6 times per minute.
- Some starfish hunt by throwing their stomach out, enveloping them the victim and start the process of its digestion.
- Despite the many eyes, their vision leaves much to be desired – all they can do is distinguish darkness from light (interesting facts about vision).
- Instead of a circulatory system, starfish use a water vascular system, passing sea water through your body. Thus, water replaces their blood.