![]() Oceans 101 Low Expectations for ComplexityĮxpectations for complexity in these animals have been low because historically, sea stars were viewed as "simple creatures without complicated behavior," said Mah, who was not involved in the study. The new study was published by different researchers on February 7 in the same journal. Scientists studied a starfish species found in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans, known as the blue sea star ( Linckia laevigata), and published their findings online Januin the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. ![]() ![]() Of the 13 species researched, two were also bioluminescent, meaning they could likely use light flashes to communicate with potential mates. Now, a new study shows that some Arctic deep-sea starfish also rely on their vision for navigation. "This represents a significant breakthrough in our understanding of how sea stars perceive the world," wrote Christopher Mah, a researcher at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., in an email. In 2014, research suggested that the eyes of tropical sea stars-the term scientists prefer, as the invertebrates aren't actually fish-can form rough images, preventing the animals from wandering too far from home. Since their eyes are also relatively simple and because they lack a brain, it was difficult to figure out how or even if they could see. Starfish have historically been thought of as simple animals. Starfish have eyes-one on the end of each of their arms-but what they do with them was anyone's guess. Update, February 7, 2018: This story has been updated with information on the 2018 study on deep-sea starfish in the Arctic.
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