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Varieties and Habitat
Although you commonly see the five-pointed star fish, there are more than 2,000 varieties of the animal, and some of them have many more than five arms. The sun star, for example, has up to 40 arms. There are also starfish with 10 and 20 arms. Starfish live in both deep and shallow ocean water. You can find them in every ocean in the world, but they never live in fresh water.
Basic Physical Facts
As you might guess, starfish have hard, bony skin that protects them from potential predators. They can have bright, vivid colors that also act as camouflage against predators. Starfish are usually between 4.7 and 9.4 inches in size and can weigh up to 11 lbs., according to National Geographic. They can live to be as old as 35 years. They have hundreds of tiny suction-cup feet that they use to crawl along the ocean floor and to catch prey.
Physiological Facts
Starfish have no brains or blood. Instead, they have a central nervous system that is spread throughout the entire body. The most amazing thing about starfish is their ability to regenerate limbs that have been severed. In some species, starfish can regenerate their entire bodies from just a portion of an arm. This is because their vital organs are stored in their arms, and not in the center of their bodies.
Eating Habits
Like all animals, starfish need to eat. Starfish are carnivores and eat mostly clams and oysters. They attach their suction cups to prey and pry open the shells of clams and oysters. Interestingly, their stomach emerges from the mouth and envelops the prey before returning back inside the body. The food is then transferred to a different stomach within the body. Starfish also eat barnacles, snails and very small fish.