Locomotion and righting behavior of sea stars: a study case on the bat star Asterina stellifera (Asterinidae)

Introduction: The locomotion behavior of an organism involves the integration aspects like body symmetry, sensory and locomotor systems. Furthermore, various ecological factors seem to be related characteristics, such as foraging strategy, migration trends, response predators competitors, environmental stress. Objective: To analyze influence symmetry in crawling righting movements sea star Asterina stellifera. Methods: We carried out laboratory experiments aquariums presence/absence water current on a horizontal vertical surface. Results: speed is similar other species size. Both linearity displacement were independent individual A leads faster straight paths, but there no rheotaxis: streams do not affect locomotion. Speed pattern described here may adaptation organisms that present dense populations communities with high prey abundance, case A. Conclusions: Like asteroids, this did show Anterior/Posterior plane during locomotion, or movement: it does tend bilaterality.