What are tube feet in echinoderms?
Q: What are tube feet in echinoderms?
A: Tube feet are small tube-like projections on the underside of echinoderms that form part of their water vascular system.
Q: What are the functions of tube feet?
A: Tube feet are used for movement, feeding, breathing, and attaching to surfaces.
Q: In what way do tube feet operate?
A: Tube feet operate through hydraulic pressure.
Q: How do starfish use tube feet to open bivalve shells?
A: Starfish clamp hold of the bivalve shells on either side with its tube feet, and apply a steady pull, pulling for much longer than any bivalve muscle can withstand, opening the shell in around ten minutes.
Q: How does the starfish consume the mollusc inside the bivalve shell?
A: The starfish slips its stomach inside the shell, dissolves the mollusc where it lives, absorbing the nutrients.
Q: How long does the digestion process take for the starfish?
A: The digestion process takes much longer than opening the shell, perhaps a couple of days.
Q: Can tube feet be found on other marine animals?
A: No information is provided in the text on whether tube feet are found on other marine animals.
