comment on starfish's aquatic and terrestial habits
Answers
COMMON NAME: Starfish (Sea Stars)
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Asteroidea
TYPE: Invertebrates
DIET: Carnivore
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN CAPTIVITY: Up to 35 years.
SIZE: 4.7 to 9.4 inches
WEIGHT: Up to 11 pounds
SIZE RELATIVE TO A TEACUP
Marine scientists have undertaken the difficult task of replacing the beloved starfish’s common name with sea star because, well, the starfish is not a fish. It’s an echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars.
Population
There are some 2,000 species of sea star living in all the world’s oceans, from tropical habitats to the cold seafloor. The five-arm varieties are the most common, hence their name, but species with 10, 20, and even 40 arms exist.
Defensive Adaptations
They have bony, calcified skin, which protects them from most predators, and many wear striking colors that camouflage them or scare off potential attackers. Purely marine animals, there are no freshwater sea stars, and only a few live in brackish water.