STARFISHES are among the most color- 

 ful marme creatures and often have 

 amazingly intricate structures. The 

 name arises from the fact that they usu- 

 ally have five points, or rays in mul- 

 tiples of five. This is an Astropecten 

 regalis. 



VELVETY appearance of the underside 

 of a sea star such as this Astropecten 

 calilornicus is due to innumerable tube- 

 like feet by which it crawls or grasps its 

 prey. Its mouth is in the central portion 

 of a disc formed by the juncture of rays. 



