Animal Kingdom

Starfish Phylum: The common starfish

These starfish are common on rocky coasts where they feed on molluscs. They glide over the sea bottom on small tentacles projecting from their five arms. When they find a mollusc, such as an oyster or a mussel, they force it open with their arms and push their stomach inside the shell. The starfish digests its prey and moves on to find its next victim. In this way the common starfish has become a pest in oyster beds and mussel beds all along the Atlantic and North Sea coasts.

• Close Window

© Paul Billiet, Shirley Burchill, Alan Damon and Deborah James 2009