Bipinnaria

The bipinnaria is a larval form of the echinoderms ( Echinodermata ) in the individual development ( ontogeny ) of the starfish ( Asteroida ) occurs. It is a bilaterally symmetrical form, which is converted mostly to a metamorphosis in the Brachiolaria. The bipinnaria lives freely in the plankton during the Brachiolaria with an adhesive disc sets. In a few species of Paxillosidae, some of the representatives of the genera Luidia and Astropecten no Brachiolaria is formed and there is a direct conversion to finished starfish from the bipinnaria.

The name derives from these larva are the two apical wings (from the Greek ' bi' = Two and Latin ' pinna ' = fin, wing).