Responses ofAsterias Rubensto Olfactory Stimuli

Abstract

In 1883 Romanes first demonstrated the capacity of starfish to detect the presence of food. He claimed to be able to lead them in any direction by holding a piece of crab an inch or two from the end of one of the arms. He concluded that if the food was not more than a few inches away the starfish could smell it and move towards it. Milligan (1915 a-c) observed thatAsterias rubensmoved towards a dead pipefish from distances of 1½ in to 2 ft., and emphasized that the determined movement left no doubt that the starfish could smell the fish. Regnart (1928) found thatA. rubenscould locate food hidden in a bait chamber, moving away from the aerator in the centre of the tank.