What is a Starfish?

A starfish is neither a star nor a fish, despite its name. It is an animal that belongs to a group called echinoderms, which means "spiny-skinned." A starfish gets its common name from its shape and from the fact that, like a fish, it lives in the water.
The starfish's star-like shape happens because its arms grow out from a center circular body. Most starfish, or "sea stars," have five arms, but some have many more. For example, the Helisaster, found in the Pacific Ocean, has up to 40 arms, and the Labidaster, found in the Southern Ocean, may have up to 50 arms. Most starfish have long arms, but some have such shot arms that they look like little pentagons rather than stars.
Most starfish are four or five inches across. The smallest measure only half an inch. The largest can be one yard across. Many have a pale yellow color. Some starfish are bright blue, others a deep red, and some are patterned.
A starfish has no face. It can see through the small red eye it has at the tip of each arm. It can feel things using a foot at the tip of each arm. Most of the time, though, starfish use their senses of smell and taste, especially looking for food

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