basket star
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of marine invertebrate: A basket star is a type of brittle star (an echinoderm related to starfish) characterized by having a central disc from which numerous, long, slender, and repeatedly branched arms radiate. These complex, interlacing arms form a basket-like structure used for capturing plankton from the water.
Usage
The term "basket star" is used specifically in marine biology and zoology to describe and identify these distinct animals. - The diver observed a basket star clinging to a sea fan, its intricate arms spread out to feed. - Unlike a common starfish, a basket star has highly branched, flexible arms.
Advanced Usage
- Taxonomic context: Basket stars belong to the order Euryalida within the class Ophiuroidea (brittle stars). They are often found in deep-sea environments but also inhabit shallower reefs.
- The research paper focused on the feeding mechanics of deep-sea basket stars.
Variants and Related Words
- Brittle star (n): The broader group of echinoderms to which basket stars belong. All basket stars are brittle stars, but not all brittle stars are basket stars.
- Gorgonocephalus (n): A genus of basket star, often called the "shepherd's crook" basket star.
Synonyms
- Snake star (less common)
- Basket brittle star
Related Terms (Not Synonyms)
- Echinoderm: The phylum including starfish, sea urchins, and brittle stars.
- Plankton feeder: Describes its primary method of obtaining food.
Noun
-
any starfish-like animal of the genera Euryale or Astrophyton or Gorgonocephalus having slender complexly branched interlacing arms radiating from a central disc
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