Anatomy of A Starfish!

Greetings to All Starfish Lovers!

Before diving into knowing more about a starfish, let's begin by with the ANATOMY of a STARFISH!

The Anatomy of A Starfish!

The main anatomy of the starfish includes:

1. Tube Foot - Small flexible tube extending and retracting with the action of the ampulla; it mainly allows the organism to move about, anchor itself to a support and capture its prey

2. Central Disk - Central region of the body; the starfish’s arms are attached to it

3. Spine - More or less movable outgrowths of calcareous plates forming the skeleton and enabling the starfish to ward off its predators

4. Eye-spot - Small light-sensitive structure located at the terminal end of each arm, allowing it to locate surfaces and prey

5. Madreporite - Porous dorsal plate that allows water to enter the body; it connects the ambulacral ossicle to the outside world, and thus ensures locomotion

6. Arm - Movable appendage radiating around the central disk; it has a mainly tactile and olfactory function. The starfish can regenerate an amputated arm

7. Esophagus - Muscular membranous channel of the anterior section of the digestive tract; it allows food to reach the stomach

8. Mouth -  Anterior cavity of the digestive tract located on the ventral surface that allows food to be ingested

9. Ring Canal - Circular canal in which filtered water enters through the madreporite and branches out into the radiated canals

10. Rectal Cecum - Lateral duct of the terminal part of the digestive tract, where waste is stored before being expelled through the anus

11. Anus - Terminal orifice of the digestive tract allowing waste to be ejected; most of the undigested food is regurgitated rather than expelled through the anus

12. Stomach - Dilated section of the digestive tract preceding the intestine; it receives food to be digested

13. Gonad - Each of the two glands located in each arm, producing gametes (spermatozoids or ovules) depending on the sex of the starfish

14. Pyloric Cecum - Radiated duct of the digestive tract producing digestive enzymes and also allowing digested food to be stored

15. Gonopore - Dorsal opening through which gametes (spermatozoids and ovules) are expelled into the water to be fertilize

16. Intestine - Section of the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus where absorption of nutrients is carried out and waste is transformed into fecal matter

17. Radial Canal - Canal running the length of the arm; it receives water from the annular canal, which then passed into the tube feet

18. Ampulla - Bulb that contracts to let water enter the tube foot, allowing it to extend; when it dilates, the foot retracts

Hope you guys are well-informed about the anatomy of a STARFISH!

Continue to follow us as we'll be discovering more about the starfish and how it's unique features will lead to a Biomimetic inspiration!

STARFISH, lighting the way to biomimicry!

Till' next time! =)