The nature of a starfish: a disembodied head walking about on its lips' | Helen Sullivan
Briefly

from www.theguardian.com5 months ago
The starfish is unlike fish in numerous ways. Its ability to push its stomach out and swallow clams is a unique feature no fish possesses.
www.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/03/the-nature-of-a-starfish-a-disembodied-head-walking-about-on-its-lips
Every starfish has a madreporite, which is crucial for sucking water into its body to inflate its tube-shaped feet, allowing it to move and navigate.
www.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/03/the-nature-of-a-starfish-a-disembodied-head-walking-about-on-its-lips
Despite being a disembodied head walking on tube feet, starfish exhibit coordinated movement thanks to their decentralized nervous system that works uniquely with independent feet.
www.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/03/the-nature-of-a-starfish-a-disembodied-head-walking-about-on-its-lips
Starfish share a distant relation to humans, descending from a common ancestor around 600 million years ago, signifying a remarkable evolutionary connection.
www.theguardian.comhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/03/the-nature-of-a-starfish-a-disembodied-head-walking-about-on-its-lips
Read at www.theguardian.com
#starfish #marine-biology #evolution #nervous-system #unique-adaptations
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