Sea Stars, Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars
Sea stars and starfish are actually the same creature! The term "starfish" is a bit of a misnomer because these fascinating marine animals aren't fish at all. The more accurate term is "sea star."
Sea stars belong to a group of marine animals called echinoderms, which also includes sea urchins and sand dollars. They are known for their star-shaped bodies and typically have five arms, although some species can have more. Sea stars have a unique water vascular system that helps them move and capture prey. They can regenerate lost arms, which is quite an impressive feat!
So, whether you call them sea stars or starfish, you're referring to the same amazing marine creature.
Sea stars belong to a group of marine animals called echinoderms, which also includes sea urchins and sand dollars. They are known for their star-shaped bodies and typically have five arms, although some species can have more. Sea stars have a unique water vascular system that helps them move and capture prey. They can regenerate lost arms, which is quite an impressive feat!
So, whether you call them sea stars or starfish, you're referring to the same amazing marine creature.
Sea StarKingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata Class Asteroidea Body Shape: Star-shaped with typically five arms (though some species have more). Movement: Use tube feet located on the underside of their arms to move and capture prey. Diet: Carnivorous, feeding on mollusks, small fish, and other invertebrates. Habitat: Found in various marine environments, from tidal pools to deep-sea floors. |
Sea UrchinKingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata Class: Echinoidea Body Shape: Spherical or slightly flattened with long, movable spines covering their body. Movement: Use tube feet and spines to move across the ocean floor. Diet: Herbivorous, feeding mainly on algae, but some species are omnivorous. Habitat: Found in rocky and coral reef environments, often in shallow waters. |
Sand Dollar
Movement: Use tiny spines on their underside to burrow into the sand and move. Diet: Detritivorous, feeding on organic particles and plankton found in the sand. Habitat: Found in sandy or muddy ocean floors, often in shallow coastal waters. |
Videos
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Web Resources
Echinoderms: Sea Stars, Urchins, Sand Dollars, and Relatives| Smithsonian Ocean
Echinoderms Examples: Types Of Echinoderms from Around the World
Echinoderms (starfish, brittle star, sea urchin, feather star, sea cucumber)
https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/Phylum-Echinodermata-Starfish-Sand-Dollars-Sea-Urchins
Echinoderms Examples: Types Of Echinoderms from Around the World
Echinoderms (starfish, brittle star, sea urchin, feather star, sea cucumber)
https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/Phylum-Echinodermata-Starfish-Sand-Dollars-Sea-Urchins
Let's have some fun
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Australian Curriculum LinksScience Understanding
Biological sciences Years 1 AC9S1U01 identify the basic needs of plants and animals, including air, water, food or shelter, and describe how the places they live meet those needs Year 3 AC9S3U01 compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals |
Year 4
AC9S4U01 explain the roles and interactions of consumers, producers, and decomposers within a habitat and how food chains represent feeding relationships Year 5 AC9S5U01 examine how particular structural features and behaviours of living things enable their survival in specific habitats Year 7 AC9S7U01 investigate the role of classification in ordering and organising the diversity of life on Earth and use and develop classification tools including dichotomous keys |