Starfish ami their Injaries.

Otago Witness, Issue 2630, 10 August 1904, Page 68

Starfish ami their Injaries.

Crippled starfish offer a most interesting subject for study among the inhabitants of the deep sea. Very many of them are to be found in the ocean depths, just as there} are large numbers of maimed people to be seen on land. The collector seeking perfect specimens will perhaps pass by the crippled starfish, while ethers will find in their deformity a wondrous thing. In Ashtabula, O., v there is a rare collection of several hundred starfish cripples owned by Dr F. D. Snyder, who is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Unlike man, the starfish which loses one of its "arms," or properly its rays, grows a new one to take its place. Under certain conditions it grows two to take the place of one.

A starfish may lose all its rays without losing its life, and very often a cripple with, but a single ray left is found by fishermen and collectors. When completely broken in two, the starfish becomes two distinct fish, and the growing process continues. The brittle starfish, it is believed, in many instances breaks off it? own rays at the approach of danger. For this reason it is difficult to obtain as perfect a specimen as the Ophiocoma sethrops, which is owned in Ashtabula, and which came from. Panama. These rays are almost intact.

But there are other points in connection with the starfish of tie world which are wonderful and instructive aside from the marvellous accomplishments of the cripples". The great variety of shapes alone is beyond the conception of those who have not made deep-sea fish a study. To many people starfish would not be starfish, unless they were possessed of rays and resembled in construction a star. To all such the Culcita pentangularis will be a revelation. As its name indicates, this fish is pentangular in form. Another interesting shape is found in the Heliaster helianthus, which derives its name from its

resemblance to a sunflower, and whicli is often found in South American waters. The creature is one of the most beautiful animals that inhabits the sea. The manner in -which the starfish travels and the way in which it eats represent two more interesting features of those queer specimens of deep-sea life. As perhaps nearly everyone knows, the starfish can neither see nor hear. Neither has it the sense of smell. In spite of these seeming ■impediments, it seeks and devours its prey as neatly s an ordinary fish. The staTfish lies upon its prey ana folds its "arms" or rays completely about it. It then pushes its stomach out through its month ; and will wrap even a large oyster and shell within the folds of the stomach. The mouth of the starfish is in the centre of its rays. The body of the live starfish is comparatively: soft. In travelling, it is said that it fully adjusts itself to the irregular surface-of the sea bottom. Passing through 'an .opening of small dimensions is accomplished by pushing one arm through first, at the same time folding the- others -jhack sufficiently to "admit of forcing th£ >bbdy forward. Some great ships are to-day , employed Almost wholly in -seeking ior -starfish specimens in deep seas, and there are hundred® of men who spend a portion of their time in, collecting starfish in "the interest of -science. M-any of the specimens collected -by ships are taken irom depths of one and even two miles. The pressure which these fish withstand at this depth is, of course, very great. — Frank M'Cltjre.