Sunflower sea star
Lilly King, Period 3
Habitat
Found in the Sub Tidal Zone
Common in the Pacific from Alaska to Southern California,
Shallow water.
Mud
Sand
Gravel
Boulders
Rocks
Daily Changes
- Temperature changes
- Salinity changes
- Limited Space
Special Body Adaptions/ Characteristics to help it survive in the ITZ environment
Shed arms to escape, grow them back within a few weeks
powerful suckers on the 16-24 arms,
reversible cardiac stomach that can envelop
- digest prey outside its body.
How does it move ?
suction cups on the tentacles !!!
Food Source ( what does it eat?)
Carnivorous
Mussels
Sea urchins
Fish
Crustaceans ( crab and barnacles)
Sea Cucumber
Brittle Star
- Clams
How does it eat ?
- Puts leading 8 arms in front and when contacts the prey throw are down on top of it
- Protrudes it stomach
- Envelops the entire prey
- Lastly, digest it
Citatations
"Sunflower Sea Star Eats a Crab." Alaska Fishers Science Center. NOAA. Web. 6 Mar 2014. <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/gallery/images/photos/5574653791.html>.
Troll, R. 6 Mar 2014. <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/speciesid/fish_page/fish6a.html>.