I think everyone knows what is starfish, but not everyone has seen and observed a live one closely.
Since i was young i had been curious of this 'star' in the sea, i know how it looks like, i can draw it, i can identify it but i don't know is it a hard or soft creature, is it able to move, is it easy to find in sea?
when i was traveling around Philippines, a country with 7107 islands, starfish are a common sight in shallow water and shore. I took a closer observation when i found this red starfish one day.
There are many kinds of starfish, with different colour. But i found this red starfish is quite rare, a closer look of it, there are many tiny bumps on it.
It is not so soft but it is also not as hard as the dead corals one will find usually. The five 'arms' of starfish are also quite flexible and able to move obviously. I flipped it over and realise there is opening at the bottom of starfish and numerous of small tentacles.
It will start to twist the 'arms' and the tentacles will begin to be active. The starfish had a difficult time to flip over itself, but it get washed and flipped over easily with the next wave that had brought it home.
However, i didn't expect to see them again in Hong Kong, a modern city that East meets West. This time, they are all dried and stiff. They are found in chinese medicine shop.
I heard starfish are served as snack or food in some places.. i guess i may see them one day again.
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Mtkang
Hi Jonvitalija, no wonder i saw starfish pictures with even 10 limbs.. it is quite amazing to observe living creatures in close distance..
Jonvitalija
Did you know? When a starfish looses a limb in the wild from a predator trying to eat it, the starfish can grow back its limb. It is common in the wild to see a starfish with 6 or more limbs as two limbs can take the place of the missing one.
Keki
what lovely photos! great find! :)
Mtkang
I would like to see a seahorse too, i once mistaken pipe fish as seahorse.
Wildmac
They are lovely creatures to find. I also love the hermit crabs, they can have such beautiful shells from all the other creatures living on them. But my all time favorite is the seahorse. I haven't seen one at the beach since I was a child. But I don't go to the same beaches now that I did then so that could be why. Nice blog. Cheers :0)
Creativei
I remember seeing them when i was a kid, I think I need to hunt the Dubai beaches.
Frantab01
saw a couple this summer in Malta - they are amazing, unfortunately didn't have my camera with me then - fantastic creatures
smartview27
A starfish is very spectacular. Nice photos!
Luissantos84
Hi! I have got a few alive on my hands on a snorkeling adventure, in Maldives!