STARFISH
Reading edition
Memory, according to Romanes, begins with the Echinoderms—e.g., Starfish, Sea-anemones, etc.; and Preyer’s extensive experiments with Starfish led him to believe that he had “discovered indubitable indications of intelligent action” in the case of Ophiurus (“brittle star”). The question is still under debate, with the weight of authority on the side of Loeb, Jennings, Gaser and others, whose experiments led them to the opposite conclusion.
Thomson finds that Starfish learn to meet new difficulties in new ways. If they cannot surmount their difficulties one way, they will try another.[7]
Starfishes are nearly always hungry and they consider Sea-urchins a delicacy. But Sea-urchins are armed with small but sharp “three-bladed screws” on their backs. Knowing this, the Starfish deliberately strip these blades away and proceeds to devour the Sea-urchin with its elastic mouth.
Holmes observes that “the behavior of Echinoderms is certainly complex and plastic to a remarkable degree,” but he concludes that the power of forming associations in this group is very doubtful.