
Sea stars, brittle stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers all belong to an amazing group of ocean animals called echinoderms. The word 'echinoderm' comes from Greek and Latin, meaning 'spiny skin'—and for good reason! Most of them have tough, bumpy bodies that look like they’re ready for battle.
Echinoderms live in every ocean, from tropical reefs to icy Arctic waters. They have radial symmetry—kind of like a wheel—and usually reproduce sexually, but some can even grow a new buddy asexually!
These creatures have an internal skeleton called an endoskeleton, giving them their spiny look, and they move in the coolest way—with hundreds of tiny tube feet! These little suction cups help them slowly crawl along the ocean floor.
So, what do you think about this fascinating group of animals? Personally, I think they’re the real stars of the sea!—get it? Sea stars!