tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post8413122961512140584..comments2024-01-27T05:20:35.844-08:00Comments on The Echinoblog: SEA STAR DEFENSE! How do starfish protect themselves??ChrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-22519456394841393202022-11-13T13:34:46.454-08:002022-11-13T13:34:46.454-08:00As a generality, sea stars have a special kind of ...As a generality, sea stars have a special kind of connective tissue, called "catch connective tissue" which permits them to shift positions of spines, arms, etc. from flexible to immovable. Degree to which depends on species. So.. some species definitely could flex spines into a position that protects them against fish predators.<br /><br />that said, I've never heard of sharks attacking sea stars. ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-1596381917160183382022-11-13T12:50:15.325-08:002022-11-13T12:50:15.325-08:00Can starfish actually harden their bodies against ...Can starfish actually harden their bodies against shark bites as a defense of is that a myth?<br />Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-20133687497349256392017-10-07T13:08:57.164-07:002017-10-07T13:08:57.164-07:00nope.nope.ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-81528034150344760802017-10-07T11:34:20.908-07:002017-10-07T11:34:20.908-07:00Are starfish dangerous?Are starfish dangerous?Rob Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04463360863062627644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-49090443525183385092015-12-16T13:34:28.867-08:002015-12-16T13:34:28.867-08:00helps with the school project I'm doing <3helps with the school project I'm doing <3Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-26248696481223585332015-03-31T19:30:39.614-07:002015-03-31T19:30:39.614-07:00I thought that this article was really helpful. I&...I thought that this article was really helpful. I'm doing a school project on the Ochre sea star and one of the questions on my homework was "how does the Ochre sea star defend itself". So I googled it and got this.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12340451196637748239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-51958630430775324742015-03-31T08:49:21.914-07:002015-03-31T08:49:21.914-07:00this was really helpful because I'm currently ...this was really helpful because I'm currently doing a school project on starfish. THANKSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-66136567248178755222015-03-20T15:47:35.233-07:002015-03-20T15:47:35.233-07:00this site really helped me a lot. thanks!this site really helped me a lot. thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-91299719760712054462014-06-11T04:41:28.612-07:002014-06-11T04:41:28.612-07:00Dear Dr. Mah,
I work with Protoreaster nodosus ...Dear Dr. Mah, <br /><br />I work with Protoreaster nodosus that their spines are really sharp. though ive noticed some individuals in some sampling sites to have blunt spines. Do you have an idea if it is due to predation of some boxfishes or puffer fishes ? <br /><br />Thanks!!Josh Regaladohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15501156299405973736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-77506750194794442572014-02-17T21:20:30.974-08:002014-02-17T21:20:30.974-08:00Hi! I have a question on why the echinoderms are v...Hi! I have a question on why the echinoderms are very hard in terms of defense and survivability. could you please help me answer this? :) thanks a lot!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-54610143722842763632010-10-28T14:02:16.840-07:002010-10-28T14:02:16.840-07:00thanks heather! I have edited those sentences..thanks heather! I have edited those sentences..ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-25477668192514456822010-10-28T13:25:55.355-07:002010-10-28T13:25:55.355-07:00"Saponins are found only in sea cucumbers and..."Saponins are found only in sea cucumbers and starfish" is incorrect, saponins are found in almost all plants.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08710121838848197834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-87419247496371264962010-05-27T21:57:23.460-07:002010-05-27T21:57:23.460-07:00thanks for the info! lots of help on my homework.thanks for the info! lots of help on my homework.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-39764266875277687052010-04-21T21:04:48.299-07:002010-04-21T21:04:48.299-07:00(oops - previously left this comment on the wrong ...(oops - previously left this comment on the wrong post - sorry)<br /><br />I'd also like to add that they have macrophage-like cells that can engulf foreign invaders inside their bodies in both embryos (blastocoelar mesenchymal cells) and adults (coelomocytes).<br /><br />In fact, I recently sucked some fluid out of a starfish with a syringe (expecting mostly water with a few scattered immune cells). But when I stuck it undera microscope I saw millions upon millions of these cells, some of which are free-swimming flagellated, while others are more "crawly" like a typical macrophage cell.<br /><br />There was a cool paper a while back that showed that these cells will phagocytose almost any foreign object, like polystyrene beads, bacteria, killed cells from the same species, and urchin sperm (but not live cells from the same species).Irradiatushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02300747428070267240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-21433936361286239162010-04-21T12:20:49.111-07:002010-04-21T12:20:49.111-07:00Liam,
you are absolutely right. I think they pro...Liam,<br /> you are absolutely right. I think they probably are-but sometimes its hard to say when they are for defense and when they are actually used more aggressively (e.g., in Labidiaster for catching food). <br /> One sees abundant pedicellariae on many goniasterids but not on others which implies variation maybe in response to predators? Tempting but hard to say given how little is known.<br /> I will probably blog about pedicellariae before too long and discuss these issue...<br /> There's always SOMETHING...:-)ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-36647348196329198442010-04-21T12:14:31.869-07:002010-04-21T12:14:31.869-07:00Hi Chris,
Another really interesting article. I d...Hi Chris,<br /><br />Another really interesting article. I don't know much about them, but wondered how important pedicellariae might be for protection too? Any thoughts?<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Liammadliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08476803906624179908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-74242730943012087762010-04-21T11:40:30.128-07:002010-04-21T11:40:30.128-07:00Enjoyable article; also, very RPG-worthy.Enjoyable article; also, very RPG-worthy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com