AS WE approach Christmas I wanted to write about a marine animal with a festive link and what better than the humble starfish, an iconic symbol of the sea? says DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST

Starfish belong to a strange group of animals that includes sea urchins and sea cucumbers, all animals without eyes or even a head! Starfish normally have five arms but some British species can have up to 14, and they have some remarkable characteristics. Having no ‘front end’ they can move in any direction, leading with any of their arms without having to turn round.

They glide over the sea floor using an army of tube feet on their underside. Some starfish feed on shellfish such as mussels and clams using their tube feet to pull open the two halves of the shell with a force equivalent to 5kg.

As soon as a tiny opening appears the starfish inserts its stomach through the crack and starts to digest the mollusc inside. Another trick up the starfish’s spiny sleeve is its ability to re-grow lost arms. Marine curiosities are collected around the world for souvenirs, often with little understanding of the impact this has on the ecosystem. At this festive time of year spare a thought for the starfish, throughout our British seas, and symbol of the outstanding marine wildlife we are blessed with.