Thursday, 5 May 2016

Literature Review Part (A): Reproduction of A Starfish!

Hi!

Do you know that starfish reproduces through both sexually and asexually

If you don't, then you'll find out more about it as you read on! =)

The sexual reproduction of stafishes involves few stages which are spawning, egg stage, larval stage and juvenile stage!

Spawning means that the sex cells are released into the water. Starfish gather in groups to reproduce, which increases the likelihood the sperm and eggs will find each other.

Egg stage - when the eggs become fertilized they develop into zygotes. Some species of starfish brood their eggs after they're fertilized. They may sit over their eggs, or form a brooding basket in which the eggs are sheltered. 

The eggs may be held on the starfish's central disk or in sacs between the arms. Once the eggs hatch they are released into the open ocean to drift with the current and search for food.

In the larval stage the starfish is a miniscule, jelly-like blob that floats around feeding on microscopic flora and fauna. These larva are too small to be seen with the naked eye. The starfish larva metamorphosizes through several stages until it develops into a juvenile!

In the last stage of larval development the starfish abandons its free-floating planktonic lifestyle for a benthic (surface-dwelling) existence. The larva anchors itself to a surface and transforms into the juvenile stage. A juvenile starfish looks like a small version of an adult.

At about two years old the starfish is grown enough to be considered an adult starfish and can begin the reproductive stage of its life! The sexual reproduction of starfishes can be represented in the figure below!

What about asexual reproduction? 

In asexual reproduction, a starfish's arm is removed along with part of the central disk (the center of the body from which the arms radiate), a whole new sea star can form from that detached piece! 

Because two starfishes have been formed from one, this is considered asexual reproduction!

So, that's all on the reproduction of a starfish and knowing how a starfish multiply their species! The asexual reproduction of starfishes can be represented in the figure below!


STARFISH, lighting the way to biomimicry!

Till' next time! =)


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