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Why do many shallow-water echinoderms feed at night?

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A common comet star and a cushion sea star rest on colorful sponges and seagrass in a vibrant Caribbean underwater scene. — echinoderm Starfishes.

Many shallow-water echinoderms feed at night because their behavior is regulated by light intensity. These animals typically remain concealed during the day to avoid suboptimal environmental conditions and emerge at night to engage in active feeding.1