Why Are Starfish Dangerous?
What kinds of things do you need to keep in mind while on the beach or swimming to avoid coming in contact with a deadly starfish?
Starfish are known as some of the most beautiful animals in the ocean. Their amazing colors and shapes make them appear harmless creatures in the sea.
But the fact is many starfish are actually animals you and other sea creatures never want to come in contact with.
Possibly the most dangerous of the starfish is called an Asterias. This starfish will twist its body backward and completely succumb the creature it's devouring. It pushes its stomach through to the outside of its body and takes the other animal apart. It then injects the animal with a digestive juice that completely kills the animal. These animals are known to live on the ocean floors, especially in rocky areas.
There are two forms of this creature that live in waters surrounding the United States. Asterias forbesi live near Cape Cod. These animals are bright orange and are always looking for a good meal. The Asterias vulgaris also live in the Cape Cod area. These animals are yellow in color.
Another type of starfish, the Archaster, lives under ground in the ocean. These animals have feet that act as suction tubes. These tubes shoot up out of the ground when they see a creature they want for dinner. The suctions grab hold of the animals and pull them in. The suctions are so strong, few animals can escape.
Since these deadly forms of starfish generally live deep on the ocean floor, they rarely come in contact with humans. But next time you see a starfish washed ashore along your favorite beach, you may want to think twice before getting too close.