Starfish encounters: An experimental study of its advantages

Abstract

The predatory starfish Crossaster papposus exploits a chemically mediated escape response in another predatory starfish Asteria rubens when a common food resource is available to both species. Intraspecific avoidance among C. papposus is strong and functions in dispersal. Responses to inter- and intraspecific encounters among starfish may be important to the predatory ecology of species in high positions in their food webs. © 1979 Birkhäuser Verlag.