Tube Foot (Noun)
Meaning
Tentacular tubular process of most echinoderms (starfish and sea urchins and holothurians) having a sucker at the end and used for e.g. locomotion and respiration.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The tube foot of a starfish is a flexible, muscular structure that helps it move slowly across the ocean floor.
- Sea urchins use their numerous tube feet to slowly crawl across the seafloor in search of food.
- The tube feet of a sea cucumber are highly specialized and play a crucial role in its ability to burrow into the sediment.
- Holothurians use their many tube feet to slowly move across the ocean floor, feeding on detritus and small organisms.
- The tube foot of an echinoderm is also used for respiration, with oxygen being absorbed through the thin walls of the tube.