How does the starfish use its two stomachs?

Starfish don't actually have two stomachs in the traditional sense. They have a single stomach that can be divided into two parts:

* Cardiac stomach: This is the larger, more flexible portion of the stomach. It can be everted (turned inside out) through the mouth and into the prey.

* Pyloric stomach: This is the smaller, more permanent stomach connected to the cardiac stomach. It's located inside the starfish's body and receives the partially digested food from the cardiac stomach.

Here's how the starfish uses its "two stomachs":

1. Eversion: The starfish uses its tube feet to pry open the shell of its prey (usually a bivalve like a clam or mussel). It then everts its cardiac stomach through its mouth and into the prey's shell.

2. Digestion: Powerful enzymes released by the cardiac stomach break down the prey's soft tissues inside its own shell.

3. Retraction: Once the prey is partially digested, the cardiac stomach is retracted back into the starfish's body.

4. Further digestion: The partially digested food is then transferred to the pyloric stomach, where further digestion takes place.

So, while the starfish has a single stomach, its unique ability to evert the cardiac stomach allows it to digest prey outside its body, making it a highly effective predator.