Henricia nipponica (English spelling)

Japanese: ヒメヒトデ(姫海星) - ヒメヒトデ（英語表記）Henricia nipponica

An echinoderm of the family Asteroidea, class Asteroidea. It is found from Hokkaido to central Honshu, living on rocky reefs. Its arms are approximately 2cm long and slender, gradually becoming pointed towards the tip. Its body colour varies widely, including red, brown and black-brown, and it has irregular spots. The dorsal surface of the body is mesh-like and densely covered with small spines. Its dermal gill area is small and has a single dermal gill. It is dioecious. The spawning season is in March, when the female raises her plate and narrows her arms to create a jar-shaped nursery chamber in which she lays her eggs. The number of eggs laid is proportional to the body size of the parent, ranging from 15 to 255.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

ヒトデ綱ルソンヒトデ科の棘皮（きよくひ）動物。北海道から本州中部に分布し，岩礁帯にすむ。腕の長さは，ほぼ2cmで細長く，先端方向へしだいにとがっている。体色は赤色，褐色，黒褐色など変異が多く，不規則な斑点がある。体の背面は網目状で小さなとげが密生している。皮鰓域（ひさいいき）が小さく，皮鰓が単生する。雌雄異体。産卵期は3月で，雌は盤を上げて腕をすぼめ，壺状の保育室をつくり，その中に卵を産む。産卵数は親の体の大きさに比例して15～255個。

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