The water vascular system is a hydraulic system used by echinoderms, such as sea stars and sea urchins, for locomotion, food and waste transportation, and respiration.[1] The system is composed of canals connecting numerous tube feet. Echinoderms move by alternately contracting muscles that force water into the tube feet, causing them to extend and push against the ground, then relaxing to allow the feet to retract.[1][2]
The exact structure of the system varies somewhat between the five classes of echinoderm. The system is part of the coelomic cavities of echinoderms, together with the haemal coelom (or haemal system), perivisceral coelom, gonadal coelom and perihaemal coelom.[3]
Other terms sometimes used to refer to the water vascular system are "ambulacral system"[4][5][6] and "aquiferous system". In the past, "aquiferous system" was also used to refer to many unrelated invertebrate structures,[7][8] but today, it is restricted to water channels in sponges[9] and the hydrostatic skeleton of some mollusks like Polinices.[10]
^ abSolomon, Eldra; Linda Berg; Diana Martin (2002). Biology. Brooks/Cole.
^Dale, Jonathan (2000). "Starfish Science".
^"Macrobenthos of the North Sea - Echinodermata > Introduction". etibioinformatics.nl.
The watervascularsystem is a series of canals through which fluid moves to help propel the podia of the sea urchin. The fluid that fills the water vascular...
required for actions performed under stress. The watervascularsystem of the starfish is a hydraulic system made up of a network of fluid-filled canals and...
crinoids possess a watervascularsystem that maintains hydraulic pressure in the tube feet. This is not connected to external sea water via a madreporite...
The characteristics of adult echinoderms are the possession of a watervascularsystem with external tube feet and a calcareous endoskeleton consisting...
test, and are operated by a watervascularsystem; this works through hydraulic pressure, allowing the sea urchin to pump water into and out of the tube...
of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascularsystem, that consists of the heart and blood vessels (from Greek kardia...
tissue system of that plant. The cells in vascular tissue are typically long and slender. Since the xylem and phloem function in the conduction of water, minerals...
Vascular plants (from Latin vasculum 'duct'), also called tracheophytes (/trəˈkiː.əˌfaɪts/) or collectively tracheophyta (/trəˈkiː.əfaɪtə/; from Ancient...
/ˌmædrɪˈpɔːraɪt/ is a light colored calcareous opening used to filter water into the watervascularsystem of echinoderms. It acts like a pressure-equalizing valve...
definition.[citation needed] Vascularity is enhanced by extremely low body fat (usually below 10%) and low retained water, as well as the muscle engorgement...
echinoderms, basket stars lack blood and achieve gas exchange via their watervascularsystem. The basket stars are the largest ophiuroids with Gorgonocephalus...
a watervascularsystem. The dorsal papillae are similar histologically to Scotoplanes' tube feet, as both contain a large muscular watervascular canal...
The feet are powered by another unique feature of echinoderms, a watervascularsystem of canals that also functions as a "lung" and surrounded by muscles...
starfish. All these groups tend to have radial symmetry and have a watervascularsystem that operates by hydrostatic pressure, enabling them to move around...
which carry blood from the capillaries back towards the heart. The word vascular, meaning relating to the blood vessels, is derived from the Latin vas,...
the disc is an opening, the madreporite. This is connected to the watervascularsystem which assists in respiration and provides hydraulic pressure for...
Crustaceans crack the shells with their pincers and starfish use their watervascularsystem to force the valves apart and then insert part of their stomach...
trees, or cuvierian tubules. They also lack radial canals of the water-vascularsystem, with only the circumoral ring present. Synaptids have elongated...
uncertain affiliations, without radial symmetry but with stereom and a watervascularsystem. The body was oriented with the arm as the anterior end of the animal...
types of transport tissue in vascular plants, the other being phloem. The basic function of the xylem is to transport water from roots to stems and leaves...
starfish. All these groups tend to be radially symmetric and have a watervascularsystem that operates by hydrostatic pressure, enabling them to move around...
seven arm starfish. Starfish Echinoderm Regeneration (biology) Watervascularsystem Wound healing Gray, J. E. (1866). Synopsis of the species of starfish...
The endodermis helps regulate the movement of water, ions and hormones into and out of the vascularsystem. It may also store starch, be involved in perception...
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