GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Other starfishes are detritus feeders (detritus = organically enriched film that covers rocks) or scavengers. Some starfish are specialized feeders, for example the crown-of-thorns that feeds on life coral polyps. Starfish have no hard mouth parts to help them capture prey.

Detailed explanation-2: -At the Aquarium, we feed some of our sea stars pieces of fish and shrimp, but the majority of our sea stars feed on detritus, which helps to keep their habitats clean.

Detailed explanation-3: -Sea stars are in the class Asteroidea, where brittle stars are in Ophiuroidea, which also includes basket stars. To tell the two apart, first look at their bodies. Their fundamental structure is different, especially when you look at where the arms connect to the center of the body.

Detailed explanation-4: -Sea stars (class Asteroidea) and brittle stars (class Ophiuroidea) have flat bodies with a broad aboral surface facing up and an oral surface facing down. Both groups have arms projecting from a central body disc and the ambulacral regions with the projecting tube feet extending along each of the arms (Fig.