ECHINODERMS OF CONNECTICUT 



INTRODUCTION 



Among the natural objects most likely to attract the attention 

 of the visitor to the seashore, particularly if the coast be somewhat 

 rocky, are the five-pointed star-shaped creatures known as star- 

 fish. These are often found abundantly clinging to the rocks 

 and seaweeds when the tide is low. 



Among the seaweeds below the reach of the tides are some- 

 what similar animals, which have five slender, wriggling, snake- 

 like arms, commonly known as serpent stars. 



Just below the reach of the low tide also are other related 

 animals, of rounded form, covered with coarse spines, which are 

 commonly known as sea-urchins. 



And, finally, when digging in the sand between tides, one may 

 encounter pink or whitish worm-like animals, without distinct 

 appendages to the body, but which nevertheless are able to cling 

 to the hand; and these may belong to the group of animals 

 known as sea-cucumbers, although our native species have little 

 resemblance to the vegetable from which they take their popular 

 name. 



These four classes of animals occur abundantly along the 

 shores of Long Island Sound, and careful search and critical ex- 

 amination will reveal the fact that there are several species of 

 each. 



All these animals belong to the division of the animal king- 

 dom known to zoologists as Echinoderms; for, although the 

 starfish, sea-urchin, serpent star, and sea-cucumber may seem at 

 first glance to differ from each other about as widely as any 

 animals can, yet a careful study of their internal anatomy shows 

 that all are built upon the same general structural plan. They 

 furthermore have in general a similar embryology and life history. 

 Hence the zoologist and evolutionist believe that they are all 



