Starfish Facts on Physical Characteristics

When you look at a starfish, you can easily be captivated by its appearance. There are thousands of species of starfishes that you can find and only a few of them are those that you see on the shorelines. Most of them are found on the seabed where they can easily catch prey. The seabed is also where you can find species of starfishes with very interesting physical features.

One of the starfish facts about its appearance is that the thick layer of skin that these animals have is the dermis. The dermis layer of starfishes can differ from one species to another especially in terms of structure and texture. But all of these starfishes have a dermis that is abundant with ossicles. These ossicles are made up of calcium carbonate and they are the components of the starfish’s endoskeleton. Some starfishes can have endoskeletons with spines to protect them from predators but some also have dermis layers that are smooth and leathery.

This endoskeleton serves as the armor of the starfish. Because it cannot do much to protect itself, some starfishes can also have numerous spikes not only in the middle of the central disc but also scattered all throughout the arms. Although starfishes have a 5-point symmetry body presentation, this does not mean that a starfish can only have 5 arms.

Handling Dead Sea Stars

Also referred to as sea stars, starfish are marine echinoderms that you can find on tide pools and beaches across the globe. National Geographic reports that there are more than two thousand species of starfish, though they all have the same physical appearance, which is composed of brittle and boney calcified skin. In the event that you find this creature, either dead or alive, you must handle it very carefully so that its fragile arms, will not be injured or More...

Eliminating Fish Odor from Starfish

The first step of ridding starfish of the fish odor is scraping away any leftover tissue from its underside using a little butter knife. Also, brush off all organic matter, such as seaweed and bugs, which may be sticking to the shell’s spiny top. Combine one part water and three parts bleach together in a large mixing bowl. You have to make sure that the depth of this mixture is enough to soak the starfish that you would like to More...

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...

Process of Cooking Starfish

The first step of cooking starfishes is putting eight large pieces of them in a pot filled with cold water through the entire night. Chop these creatures into little pieces as you wake up in the morning. You have to chop each of them whole, which means that nothing should be removed from the starfish. Put the starfish slices into a mortar, along with a small quantity of pepper, salt and butter. Grind the whole mixture into some thin paste. More...

Starfish Facts about their Habitat

People who want to learn more starfish facts should also look into the habitat and the areas around the world where starfishes can be found. One key fact that you should definitely know is that starfishes will never survive when not in water. You may see a few of them on the beach but if they do not get into the sea soon, they will have a major electrolyte imbalance within their bodies. This is directly related to the starfish’s More...

Is your Starfish Still Alive or Already Dead?

In order to tell whether a starfish is alive or dead, you need to observe it. Starfishes do not move frequently, but they move whenever they are fed. The starfish is alive if it is moving. Now, wear a pair of gloves that are waterproof. Gently scoop up the starfish without getting it out of the water. The animal can be stressed by any sudden alterations in its environment, and caused to start disintegrating or to shed their limbs. Being More...

Hunting Techniques

Starfish facts indicate that these animals have a generalist diet which means that can eat almost anything from clams and snails to dying fishes. But with the speed of these starfishes on the bottom of the ocean, one would definitely wonder how these animals can catch or hunt their prey. Starfishes begin hunting their prey through their keen senses. They can actually detect the presence of a prey’s odor. So when their senses detect prey, the legs begin to act More...