Sunflower Seastar: Terrifying Predator? | National Geographic

Summary

The sunflower star is a formidable predator, reaching over three feet wide and boasting 15,000 feet. With its remarkable speed of up to 200 feet per hour, it efficiently hunts and scavenges, using its ability to sense the chemical traces of dead animals. In defense, it can detach an arm to escape danger and later regenerate it, even growing into a completely new sea star from the severed limb if it retains part of the central body. This unique survival strategy, along with its hunting skills, makes the sunflower sea star an extraordinary and terrifying marine creature.

Takeaways

• 😀 The sunflower star is a terrifying predator.
• 😀 It has a width of over three feet and is equipped with 15,000 tube feet.
• 😀 The sunflower star is one of the fastest animals in its biome.
• 😀 It can move at speeds of up to 200 feet per hour.
• 😀 The sunflower star is capable of hunting and scavenging efficiently.
• 😀 It can detect waterborne chemical residue from dead animals, aiding in scavenging.
• 😀 The sunflower star can escape from predators by detaching an arm.
• 😀 After losing an arm, the sunflower star can regenerate it over time.
• 😀 A whole new sunflower star can even grow from a detached arm if it retains enough of the central body.
• 😀 The sunflower star's regenerative abilities make it a highly adaptable creature in its environment.

Q & A

What is the sunflower star, and what makes it unique?

The sunflower star is a large predator known for its terrifying hunting abilities. It has a width of over three feet and is equipped with 15,000 tube feet, making it one of the fastest animals in its biome.

How fast can the sunflower star move?

The sunflower star is capable of moving up to 200 feet per hour, which is more than enough to chase down its prey.

What strategy does the sunflower star use to catch its prey?

The sunflower star can sense the waterborne chemical residue of dead animals, making it an efficient scavenger, able to track its prey through these cues.

What is a sunflower star's defense mechanism when threatened by predators?

When threatened by predators like crabs, the sunflower star can detach one of its arms to escape, later regrowing it to continue functioning.

Can a sunflower star regenerate lost limbs? If so, how?

Yes, a sunflower star can regenerate lost arms. If the severed arm retains a large portion of the central body, it can even grow into a whole new sea star.

How does the sunflower star use its tube feet?

The sunflower star's 15,000 tube feet assist in movement and predation, making it one of the fastest-moving animals in its ecosystem.

What happens to the sunflower star after it loses an arm?

After losing an arm, the sunflower star is able to regenerate it, and in some cases, a completely new sea star can grow from the severed limb if the central body portion remains intact.

What role do the sunflower star's tube feet play in its hunting strategy?

The tube feet of the sunflower star are crucial for its movement and predation. They help the star move rapidly and grasp onto prey with precision.

What type of predator is the sunflower star, and how does it hunt?

The sunflower star is a predator and scavenger. It actively hunts by moving quickly and detecting the chemical residues of dead animals in the water.

What other predators target the sunflower star?

Crabs are among the predators that target the sunflower star. However, the sunflower star can escape by shedding an arm to elude capture.