Starfish-+Odontaster+Validus


 * Common Name:** Starfish
 * Scientific Name:** //Odontaster validus//
 * Class:** Asteroidea
 * Location:** Starfish can be found in oceans all around the world.
 * Size**: 5 to 20cm and .2lbs to 13lbs in weight
 * Description of Habitat:** Shallower to deeper coastal waters
 * Living Requirements:**The starfish feeds on oysters and clams
 * Life Cycle of Animal**:
 * Fertilization **
 * Starfish release their gametes into the ocean, where they mix with the gametes from a starfish of the opposite sex.

Early Lives
In the embryonic stage, sea star embryos become part of the zooplankton in the sea. After growing beyond fertilized eggs, the creatures grow into first-stage larve known as bipinnaria. > The second-stage larvae are called brachiolaria. These babies are initially bilaterally symmetric, meaning they have a distinct left and right side. In the brachiolaria stage, the larvae survives on a yolk from its egg stage or from eating other types of plankton. They swim by beating their cilia together.
 * Plankton stage

Metamorphosis(A Tiny Sea Star)
1.Starfish have two stomachs that help with the digestion of complex organisms. The starfish use one stomach to begin the digestion of the food, and the other stomach to expand outwards and engulf their prey. . 2.The starfish has the incredible ability to regenerate itself into a new starfish, with a single lost arm attached to a portion of the central starfish body disc. Pollutions and toxins are dumped in to the oceans by humans and cause great harm to these organisms habitat and health [] [] [] Zookeeper: Jessica Tolliver
 * When they become large enough, the starfish move to the ocean floor and grow into maturity. This also allows them to transform from bilateral symmetry to radial symmetry.
 * Interesting Facts**
 * Endangered?** Not on the list
 * Human Impact on Organism:**
 * Sources:**