Brittlestar
Description
of the Brittlestar
The Brittlestar also known as the Serpent Star is closely
related to the starfish and appears hairy but is in fact covered
with fine spines. It can move across the ocean floor using its
large 'arms' to propel it. It can be white, brown or red in
color.
Profile of
the Brittlestar
This
Profile contains interesting facts and information about the
Brittlestar species.
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Size: Central
Disk - Up to 2cm, Each arm can be up to 60cm
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Habitat: Sand or
gravel, at a depth of up to 350m
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Range: Eastern Atlantic
Scientific
Classification of the Brittlestar
Definition: Scientific
classification, or biological classification, is how biologists
group and categorize species of organisms with shared physical
characteristics. Scientific classification belongs to the
science of taxonomy.
Interesting Information about Sea Anemones
Sea Anemones are named after the
Anemone flower. They are a predatory animal that releases a
toxin to paralyse its prey. The prey is then moved into the
anemones gastro vascular cavity. The poison secreted by a sea
anemone affects fish and crustaceans. The Clown Fish or
Anemonefish however has a mutually symbiotic relationship with
the sea anemone, they are not affected by its poison and live
among its tentacles, indeed laying their eggs on the anemone
itself. The clownfish uses the sea anemone as a form of defence
from larger predators.
Sea Anemones - Anatomy -
Brittlestar
The sea anemone has just one
external opening. This single opening acts as both a mouth and
an anus. All waste and undigested material is excreted through
this opening. A sea anemone has no sense organs, its nervous
system is very primitive but it does have nerves and muscles.
The anemone doesn't have a skeleton, it keeps itself stable by
closing its mouth enabling it to stay rigid.
Sea Anemones - Movement -
Brittlestar
Can a sea anemone move? Although
sea anemones usually remain static, they can use their pedal
disc to move slowly flexing their body or using their tentacles
to swim slowly to another location. They can attach themselves
to a rock, the sea bed or the shell of a crustacean, a hermit
crab for example. A sea anemone will only move location if they
are attacked by a predator or the conditions of the water are
unsuitable.
Interesting Facts and Information about
Brittlestar |
