The permeability of the asteroid podial wall to water and potassium ions

Abstract

Direct measurement of water loss from isolated podia ofLuidia ciliarisunder the influence of known levels of hydrostatic pressure has yielded a revised value for the permeability of this structure to water, namely 37.4 x 10^-8cm³/cm².s.cm H₂O pressure. The total fluid loss from a 50 g starfish will therefore be of the order of 0.75 ml/h. The mechanism for the replenishment of this fluid is discussed in the light of the traditional role of the madreporite. It would seem that adequate influx of fluid through this structure has not been observed, neither could it be responsible for ‘topping up’ in the case of arms severed from the parent body which still continue to move for considerable periods.