StarfishAlyssa Guerrero * Period 3

What is a Starfish?

* A starfish or a sea star is an invertebrate animal that lives in the ocean. They are echinoderms that belongs to the class of Asteroidea.

Where do Starfish Live?

* Sea stars are mostly found in tropical and temperate oceans around the world.

* They live in a variety of habitats from the intertidal zone to the bottom of the deep seas, but they mostly live in shallow marine environments.

What Do Starfish Eat?

* Sea stars are carnivores.

*They mostly feed on other invertebrates such as coral, shellfish, clams, and oysters

*They also eat fish and other animals.

*To catch prey they use their tiny suction cupped tubed feet

*Their stomachs then come out of their mouth and the stomach covers the prey to digest it.

Parts of a Starfish

Regeneration and Reproduction

* Sea stars have the ability to regenerate or re-grow their limbs after they have been removed.

* Their removed limbs can also form into a new starfish on its own.

*This is a form of asexual reproduction.

* Sea stars have the ability to reproduce sexually or asexually.

Starfish Predators

* The starfish is preyed upon by many animals.

* Some common predators are: fish, crabs, sharks, humans, and birds.

Star Fish Fun Facts

*Sea stars can change their gender if they need or want to.

* Sea stars don’t need brains and they don’t have blood.

*Starfish or sea stars are not fish.

* Sea stars have eyes.

* They can live up to 35 years.

Questions

1. Are sea stars carnivores?

2. Do sea stars have brains?

Bibliography

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/starfish/

http://animal.discovery.com/marine-life/starfish-info.htm

http://www.users.on.net/~jamesmosby/starfish/habitat.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/starfish-regeneration

http://marinelife.about.com/od/invertebrates/tp/seastarfacts.htm