Wildlife
Starfish, also know as sea stars, are a class of echinoderms. The majority of the 1,500 species live in the sea, though a few can tolerate and be found in brackish water. Starfish larvae are free-swimming, while the adults live on the seabed. Most types of starfish have five arms.
The Starfish can be found in a number of locations including: Great Barrier Reef. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea. However, common usage frequently finds "starfish" and "sea star" also applied to ophiuroids which are correctly referred to as "brittle stars" or "basket stars".
About 1,800 living species of starfish occur in all the world's oceans, including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern Oceans regions. Starfish occur across a broad depth range from the intertidal to abyssal depths (>6000 m).
Starfish are among the most familiar of marine animals and possess a number of widely known characteristics, such as regeneration and feeding on mussels. They possess a wide diversity of body forms and feeding methods. The extent to which Asteroidea can regenerate varies with individual species. Broadly speaking, starfish are opportunistic feeders, with several species having specialized feeding behaviors, including suspension feeding and specialized predation on specific prey.
The Asteroidea occupy several important roles throughout ecology and biology. Starfish, such as the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) have become widely known as the example of the keystone species concept in ecology. The tropical crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) is a voracious predator of coral throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Other starfish, such as members of the Asterinidae, are frequently used in developmental biology.
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