Like many other sea stars that feed by expelling their stomachs to trap prey and release digestive enzymes, leather starfish swallow their prey whole before pulling their stomachs back in and digesting their victims internally. Leather sea stars aren’t picky eaters! They are opportunistic in their environments, so whatever is easiest to catch and eat works for them! Common prey include sea anemones, sea urchins, sea sponges, sea pens, and other small or medium invertebrates. Interestingly, this sea star has earned the nickname of the garlic star because of a pungent, garlic-like smell they produce. They can reach lengths of nearly a foot, but are closer to six inches long on average. The upper part of their bodies is a mottled blue gray with red-orange mottling. They have six to eight rows of papulae on each arm, which are organs used for respiration in a way that is like gills of fishes. On the base of each are two rows of tube feet that they use to walk around on the seafloor. They have five arms surrounding a central disc, which contains their mouth and stomach. The combination of skin and mucus creates the leather-like texture that gives them their namesake. Leather sea stars secrete a thick mucus to cover their bodies, which are also covered in surprisingly soft and smooth skin. Instead, they use sea water to move nutrients, waste, and dissolved gasses through their bodies. Sea stars are unique within their family and the animal kingdom because they do not have any blood in their bodies. They have all the common traits of echinoderms, including no vertebrae and radial symmetry. Smooth, slippery, and slimy to the touch, leather sea stars ( Dermasterias imbricata ) are named for the texture of their skin, which feels like wet leather! They are members of the echinoderm family, which includes other sea star species as well as sea urchins and sand dollars.
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