THE ECHINODERMS 



IOQ 



taching, and then contracting the tube feet the starfish 

 manages to pull itself along over the bottom, or even to 

 climb up vertical surfaces. The tube feet also serve to 

 seize prey and carry it toward the mouth. 



FIG. 92. Anatomy of Starfish, Asterias vulgaris. a.o, skeletal pieces 

 of arms; c.c, cardiac cceca or pouches of stomach; p.c., pyloric cceca; 

 h.c., hepatic or "liver" i'ceca; r.c, rectal coeca; r.m, muscles; s.g, reproduc- 

 tive glands; m.p., madreporic plate through which water enters into the 

 water vascular system. (After Coe.) 



Although the starfish is a very harmless and innocent 

 looking creature, it is able to overcome and devour quite 

 large animals. When an object is brought near the mouth 

 the stomach may become actually thrust out of the body 

 and wrapped around the object which it slowly digests. 



