The Surprising Link Between Starfish And Humans
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Starfish, also known as sea stars, are marine invertebrates with a central disc and five or more arms
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They are often out in the open and in the deep-sea, making them vulnerable to predators such as crabs, lobsters, bottom dwelling fish etc
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Researchers have identified a hormone that triggers a starfish to shed its limbs to survive predators
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The research team at Queen Mary University of London described it as being similar to the hormone controlling appetite in humans
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They say when this hormone -- 'ArSK/CCK1' -- is released in response to stress, it triggers a muscle at the base of the starfish's arm to tense, thereby effectively causing it to break off
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The findings shed light on the complex interplay of neurohormones and tissues involved in starfish autotomy
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Starfish are known to possess the ability to regenerate limbs lost over time
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Autotomy is a well-known survival strategy among animals, another example of which is lizards shedding tails
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