Red Starfish Facts

Despite its name, a starfish is not a fish, but rather an echinoderm, similar to sand dollars and sea urchins. The scientific name for the red starfish is fromia milleporella. Marine scientists are appropriately trying to replace the name starfish with sea star. The sea star lives up to 35 years in the wild.

  1. Physical Characteristics

    • The red sea star can be many shades of red with several black pores on its bony, calcified surface. Its tough exterior and bright red color protect it from most predators. The sea star has no brain. The average sea star measures one foot from arm to arm. Most of these creatures have five arms, but can have as many as 40. An eye-like sensor is on the end of each appendage. The sea star has built-in suction, which stems from the madreporite, a place by the middle of the sea star's body. The madreporite is like a pump that pulls seawater into its body, and throughout the body's various canals. The sea star uses this suction to move along the sea floor, grasping onto surfaces. They're also handy for prying open mollusks, oysters and clams.

    Habitat

    • The red sea star is a marine animal. It cannot live in freshwater, and very few live in brackish water. It's difficult to breed in an aquarium, since it's hard to distinguish between male and female sea stars, so aquarium life is limited. The red sea star generally lives alone, but tolerates other sea stars of its own species.

    Feeding

    • The sea star has a very unusual way of eating. It pushes its stomachs through its mouth, emitting digestive fluids that break down its prey's flesh. It then draws the food back into its body. The sea star has a very healthy appetite, consuming as many as a few dozen small clams in one week. The more it eats, the bigger it gets.

    Unusual Facts

    • The characteristic that has other animals jealous is its ability to regenerate limbs. This is possible because most of its vital organs are contained in its arms. Some sea stars need the central body to be whole, while others can even re-grow from part of a severed limb. It also has no brains, and no blood. With its nervous system existing in its arms, the only blood-like fluid it has is filtered sea water.