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The Starfish – or Sea Star – may be one of the most beautiful creatures in the ocean.
They’re fascinating beings to only be a little larger than a tea cup. Let’s check out some facts about the starfish you may not know.
1. They have no brain and no blood.
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Starfish use filtered sea water to pump nutrients through their nervous system.
2. They can be really heavy.
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At least for something of their small size, sea stars can weigh up to 11 pounds.
3. They have a lot of birthdays!
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The average lifespan of a sea star is 35 years.
4. A Starfish in not a fish.
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They’re actually related to sand dollars and sea urchins.
5. There are around 2,000 species of sea star.
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They live in cold and warm climates all over the world.
6. They usually have five arms.
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There is a group of less common species that have more than five!
7. They cannot survive in fresh water.
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All salt. All the time.
8. They can regenerate.
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But its takes a while. It can take u to a year for a lost limb to grow back.
9. They eat inside out.
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When they capture prey, they have tiny suction cups to grab ahold of their food. Then their stomach exits their mouth to digest the food, and reenters the body when they’re done eating.
Sounds like a horror movie right? Close, but they look more majestic than creepy.