Scientists have discovered eyes on limbs help starfish navigate ocean floor. According to researchers, eyes are similar to insects and capable of forming images.
Without eyes, starfish is not able to head towards food resources, instead they stumble randomly. A research was led by Dr. Anders Garm from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. He said their findings have suggested that nervous system of starfish has the ability to process visual information.
He added, "From an evolutionary point of view it is interesting, because the morphology (shape) of the starfish eyes along with their optical quality is close to the theoretical eye early in eye evolution, when image formation first appeared".
Society for Experimental Biology annual meeting was held in Valencia, Spain, during which, the research was presented. For the first time, a research has come up with facts that existence of primitive eyes at the tip of arms allows starfish to visually navigate their environment.
The morphology of the starfish eyes along with their optical quality is interesting from an evolutionary point of view. It has a close resemblance to the theoretical eye early in eye revolution when image formation appeared for the first time, said Dr. Garm.
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