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Phylum. Starfish belong to the phylum Echinodermata, which is the largest phylum without any members that live on land or in fresh water. Echinoderms have five-point radial symmetry as adults, but are bilaterally symmetrical as larvae. They have an endoskeleton consisting of calcareous plates that often include spines.upiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images. Although fish and starfish both belong to the kingdom Animalia -- which is the largest division of taxonomic classification -- starfish lack a spine, and therefore belong to a different phylum than true fish.
Characteristics: The five armed common starfish may reach a diameter of 52 cm. This is one of the largest and most frequently encountered sea stars along the Norwegian coast. The color is usually orange, often with a purple tint. Different shades of brown is often seen as well. On the arms, most of the white spines are organized in 5-7 lines in the full arm length.