brittle star; brittlestar
General term for any member of the echinoderm order Ophiuroidea, resembling starfish with long, flexible arms.
I found a brittle star on the rocky shore.
Ophioplocus japonicus
Specific species of brittle star found in Japanese waters; scientific name Ophioplocus japonicus.
This species of brittle star is found in waters near Japan.
ヒトデ is a starfish (class Asteroidea), while クモヒトデ is a brittle star (class Ophiuroidea), a related but distinct group with thinner, more flexible arms.
Katakana spelling is standard for this organism; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling using 蜘蛛 (spider) and 海星 (starfish); rarely used.
Alternate kanji spelling with 人手 (human hand); very rare.
Compound of 蜘蛛 (くも, spider) and 人手 (ひとで, starfish, literally 'human hand'), referring to the spider-like appearance of the long, slender arms.