Brachiolaria

The Brachiolaria is a larval form of the echinoderms ( Echinodermata ) in the individual development ( ontogeny ) of many starfish ( Asteroida ) occurs. It is an initially bilaterally symmetrical form, which is converted by a metamorphosis in the five-pointed starfish ( pentameric symmetry). The precursor of Brachiolaria is the free floating bipinnaria. The Brachiolaria has an adhesive apparatus with a pressure sensitive adhesive disc and three arms, which they use to advocates for the conversion.

Name factor for this larva is the Haftarm (from the Latin ' brachium ' = arm).