Do Sea Stars Often Get Indigestion from Eating? It Turns Out They Have a "Dual Kitchen System"

Did you know that sea stars, the connoisseurs of ocean cuisine, often "eat with their stomachs turned upside down"? Today, let's explore some fascinating facts about sea stars and their unique digestive system. As a gourmet from the ocean floor, sea stars frequently "eat with their stomachs turned upside down", but this doesn't mean they feel nauseous like we do. Instead, they have two stomachs: one for external digestion and another for internal absorption.

Some primitive sea stars swallow their prey whole and digest it internally. However, the more advanced species have a "dual kitchen system" that allows them to consume prey larger than themselves. This system also helps them elegantly handle food that their mouths can't open, like mussels.

So, how do sea stars eat mussels? Let's take it step by step. Sea stars have numerous tiny tube feet on their underside, which look cute but are incredibly strong. These feet are used for slow movement and can attach firmly to rocks or sand like suction cups. When a sea star encounters a bivalve, it uses these feet to pry open the shell, creating just enough space to insert its stomach.

The main event begins when the sea star everts its stomach through the gap in the mussel's shell. It then releases digestive enzymes to slowly dissolve the mussel's flesh. During this time, the mussel is defenseless, being silently digested into the sea star's dinner. Once digestion is complete, the sea star withdraws its stomach back into its body, allowing the internal stomach to continue absorbing nutrients.

If the food is particularly large, the sea star can spread its stomach over the surface, slowly "braising" it before absorbing it bit by bit. Although sea stars move slowly, their process from opening shells to digestion is remarkably patient and efficient. They may not have plates or utensils, but each time they evert their stomach, it's a deep-sea culinary ritual.

In this sense, when we say "eating until your stomach turns upside down", it might mean that the food is so delicious and worth savoring for sea stars.