翱辫丑颈辞诲颈补听辫别濒辞谤颈补, commonly known as听Brittle Star are听omnivorous,听scavengers and听detrivores, (meaning they eat dead and decaying things off the sea floor).听Their mouth, which is located on the bottom side of their disc-shaped body is used to both ingest food and expel waste products.听These听animals听eat by pushing听their stomachs out of their mouth, pressing听it against the food听source, then retracting听it with听its听contents听back听into the body.鈥疘n short, the听one听opening acts as听mouth and听anus.听
Brittle stars are closely related to sea stars but have thinner more flexible arms that can move in a whip like motion,听making听them听more agile听and able to move听quickly across the sea floor.听Both sea鈥痵tars and听brittle鈥痵tars have the ability to detach their听own听limbs and regenerate them. This听process听is called autotomy, a self-induced loss of a body structure. This听necessary听adaptation is a defense used against听a听perceived threat, such as predation.听These fascinating creatures听don鈥檛 have eyes so听instead they use听feel听as their main sense听and听have specialized light sensing听mechanisms that help guide them through听their habitat. For those interested in modern technologies,听robotic prototypes听are听being developed using their nervous systems as an inspiration.听Soon,听even听more people听will听see the brilliance of the听humble听brittle star!听
翱辫丑颈辞诲颈补听辫别濒辞谤颈补
Common name: brittle star
Collected 9 August 1962, by听Dr.听Milford Cundiff, CU EBIO
Washington State, San Juan Island, Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington听
UCM #1127