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! =)
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