Sea stars, also called true starfish, make up the echinoderm class Asteroidea. Unlike the superficially similar brittle stars, they show no sharp demarcation between the arms and the central body, and they move using tube feet rather than by wriggling their arms. True starfish and brittle stars shared a common ancestor in the Ordovician. Most sea stars are predators that feed on sessile or slow-moving prey such as mollusks and barnacles, and many can turn part of the stomach out through the mouth to digest food outside the body. The crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster, specializes on corals and can do considerable damage to reefs.
Sea Stars (Asteroidea)
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UC Museum of Paleontology: Introduction to the Asteroidea
UC Museum of PaleontologyIntroduction to the AsteroideaQuote, Introduction to the Asteroidea
True starfish are classified in the Asteroidea
Crown-of-thorns starfish (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), LeadQuote, Has Member: Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Lead
The crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) is a large starfish that preys upon hard coral polyps.
Sunflower sea star (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Sunflower Sea Star, LeadQuote, Has Member: Sunflower Sea Star, Lead
Pycnopodia helianthoides, commonly known as the sunflower sea star, is a large sea star found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Wikipedia: Common starfish
Has Member: Common Starfish, Lead
The common starfish, common sea star or sugar starfish (Asterias rubens) is the most common and familiar starfish in the north-east Atlantic.
Has Member: Asterias Rubens, Lead
The common starfish, common sea star or sugar starfish (Asterias rubens) is the most common and familiar starfish in the north-east Atlantic.
View the SourceWikipedia: Protoreaster nodosus
WikipediaHas Member: Chocolate Chip Sea Star, LeadQuote, Has Member: Chocolate Chip Sea Star, Lead
Protoreaster nodosus, commonly known as the horned starfish or chocolate chip starfish, is a species of sea star found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
Wikipedia: Culcita novaeguineae
WikipediaHas Member: Cushion Star, LeadQuote, Has Member: Cushion Star, Lead
Culcita novaeguineae (common name, cushion star) is a species of starfish.
Wikipedia: Pisaster ochraceus
Has Member: Ochre Sea Star, LeadQuote, Has Member: Ochre Sea Star, Lead
Pisaster ochraceus, generally known as the purple sea star, ochre sea star, or ochre starfish, is a common seastar found among the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
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