Sea Star Feeding Habits
Which marine creature digests the edible tissue inside a mussel shell by turning its stomach inside out?
A) Snails
B) Sea Anemones
C) Sea stars
D) Limpets
E) Sea urchin
Answer:
The Sea Star is the creature that can digest the edible tissue inside a mussel shell by everting its stomach and slipping it through the crack in the shell.
Explanation:
The animal that digests the edible tissue inside a mussel shell by turning its stomach inside out and slipping it through the crack in the shell is the Sea Star (Option C). This is a characteristic feeding habit of sea stars, which belongs to the class Asteroidea. Sea stars have a unique characteristic of having two stomachs. They can open a molluscan shell and evert one of its stomachs into the shell to secrete digestive enzymes, starting the digestion process even before ingestion. This method is particularly effective for eating bivalve mussels.
Other options listed such as snails, sea anemones, limpets, and sea urchins are also marine creatures, but they do not feed in the same way as sea stars. For instance, Most mollusks, like Snails (option A) and Limpets (option D) have a specialized organ called a radula, used for scraping or shredding their food. Sea Anemones (option B), on the other hand, have a mouth surrounded by tentacles and a muscular digestive system. Finally, Sea Urchins (option E) are also echinoderms like sea stars, but their feeding method involves using a specialized feeding apparatus known as Aristotle's lantern.
Sea Star Feeding Habits
The feeding habits of sea stars, also known as starfish, are fascinating and unique. One of the most striking behaviors of sea stars is their ability to digest the edible tissue inside a mussel shell by turning their stomach inside out.
Sea stars have a specialized feeding method that involves everting one of their two stomachs into the shell of a mollusk, such as a mussel, to secrete digestive enzymes. This allows them to start the digestion process even before physically ingesting the food. This feeding strategy is particularly effective for feeding on bivalve mussels, which have hard shells that can be difficult to open.
Sea stars belong to the class Asteroidea and are characterized by their five arms, which radiate out from a central disc. These arms are equipped with tube feet that help the sea star move and capture prey. When it comes to feeding, sea stars use their tube feet to pry open the shell of a mollusk, such as a mussel, and then insert their stomach into the shell to digest the soft tissues inside.
This unique feeding habit of sea stars sets them apart from other marine creatures like snails, sea anemones, limpets, and sea urchins. While these creatures have their own feeding strategies, none of them exhibit the remarkable ability of sea stars to evert their stomachs and digest food externally.
Overall, the feeding habits of sea stars highlight the incredible diversity of marine life and the fascinating adaptations that different species have evolved to survive and thrive in their ocean habitats.