tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post2495643601730158594..comments2024-03-27T10:06:07.100-07:00Comments on The Echinoblog: Mouth to Mouth! A Close up look at the mouth armor of tropical sea stars!ChrisMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-43934812369886770482012-05-19T07:25:24.501-07:002012-05-19T07:25:24.501-07:00That is a good point Grisham. The "armored tu...That is a good point Grisham. The "armored tube foot groove" idea is a generality but Acanthaster is considered an exception. Presumably there are evolutionary benefits/trade-offs to having a wider and more open tube foot groove in terms of feeding on coral, etc. Plus there are venomnous spines, pedicellariae, faster movement, having more abundant tube feet etc. There may also be trade offs in terms of reproductive strategies, etc. <br /> Truth be told a lot of the interpretations of these structures are just that-interpretations. And done from a macroevolutionary standpoint. A lot of ecological work on these has yet to be done.ChrisMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784970666468925633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-13729179595492570752012-05-19T07:11:30.197-07:002012-05-19T07:11:30.197-07:00But then, how about Acanthaster? They're tropi...But then, how about Acanthaster? They're tropical but don't seem to close their ambulacral grooves very quickly. I know they are venomous, but still, many predators could simply target the oral surface.grishamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-41218377919669864252012-05-19T04:46:36.618-07:002012-05-19T04:46:36.618-07:00Wonderful images Chris!Wonderful images Chris!madliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08476803906624179908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3433304117507034540.post-37875305924757980742012-05-16T21:49:11.871-07:002012-05-16T21:49:11.871-07:00So beautiful!So beautiful!Susannah Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11923063322849781223noreply@blogger.com