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what is a brittle star? A brittle star is a sea creature that resembles the starfish but contains little differences. They are are thinner than a starfish and they contain long, fragile arms. Like starfish they have tubed feet and a simple nervous system. With no heart, brain, eyes or blood, like most echinodermata they rely on the function of their radial and central/circumoral nerves.
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Brittle star nervous system Much like the starfish and the sea urchin, the makeup of the nervous system for a brittle star is very simple and identical to the one of a starfish. Like a starfish the brittle star contains a radial nerve running through each tentacle. Linking each radial nerve, the brittle star has a circumoral nerve ring in the middle of the brittle star's body. It is said that due to each radial nerve running through the tentacles both the sea and brittle star's tentacles can take control over the entire body. Meaning that if they sense danger, one tentacle can take control of the sea creature and attempt to move it out of harms way.
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