Maple shell (Astropecten scoparius)

Japanese: モミジガイ(紅葉貝) - モミジガイ（英語表記）Astropecten scoparius

An echinoderm of the family Acanthidae (illustration) in the class Starfish. It is found from south of southwestern Hokkaido to the east coast of Africa and the Red Sea, living on tidal flats to sandy, muddy bottoms at depths of several tens of meters. It has five star-shaped arms that are gray-blue or bluish brown in color. The arms are 5 to 6 cm long, and the notches between them are almost right angles. The edges of each arm are densely lined with square plates, and the sides have many thin spines. The dorsal surface is covered with small columnar bodies. It has no anus. The spawning season is in June.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

ヒトデ綱モミジガイ科の棘皮（きよくひ）動物（イラスト）。北海道南西部以南の各地からアフリカ東岸，紅海まで分布し干潟から水深数十mの砂泥底にすむ。5本の腕が星形にでていて，灰青色または青みをおびた褐色を呈する。腕の長さは5～6cmで各腕の間の切れ込みはほとんど直角になる。各腕の周縁には四角な板が密に並んでいて，側面には多くの細いとげが生じている。背面には小さな柱状体が一面にある。肛門はない。産卵期は6月。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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