Goniasteridae

Goniasteridae (the biscuit stars) constitute the largest family of sea stars, included in the order Valvatida. They are mostly deep-dwelling species, but the family also include several colorful shallow tropical species.

Goniasteridae
Temporal range:
Pentagonaster duebeni
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Goniasteridae
Forbes, 1841
Genera

See text

Description
Fromia indica
Nectria ocellata
Neoferdina insolita

Goniasteridae are usually middle-sized sea stars with a characteristic double range of marginal plates bordering the disk and arms. Most of them have five arms, often short and triangular, around a broad central disc; many species are pentagonal or subpentagonal, covered densely with granular, seed-like protuberances, hence the name of the family "seed-star" (gonium+aster). The aboral face is often covered with tiny spines looking like paxillae. Pedicellariae are often valvate, and the gonads are located at the interradius.[1]

Main identification keys for this group include the presence of paxillae, granules, teeth, spines, or the shape and dimensions of marginal plate.[2]

Location and habitat

They occur predominantly on deep-water continental shelf habitats (but a part of them inhabit shallow waters)[3] in all the world's oceans, being the most diverse in the Indo-Pacific region.[4]

List of genera

About 260 extant species within 70 genera are currently known, which make this family the most diverse of all the sea stars,[5] even if half of the genera are monospecific. Species belonging to the Ferdininae subfamily have been imported from Ophidiasteridae thanks to a large revision of these two families in 2017[6]

According to World Register of Marine Species, this family includes the following genera:[7]

  • genus Anthenoides Perrier, 1881 -- 10 species
  • genus Apollonaster Halpern, 1970 -- 2 species
  • genus Astroceramus Fisher, 1906 -- 9 species
  • genus Astropatricia McKnight, 2006 -- 1 species
  • genus Astrothauma Fisher, 1913 -- 1 species
  • genus Atelorias Fisher, 1911 -- 1 species
  • genus Bathyceramaster Mah, 2016 -- 2 species
  • genus Calliaster Gray, 1840 -- 12 species
  • genus Calliderma Gray, 1847 -- 1 species
  • genus Ceramaster Verrill, 1899 -- 18 species
  • genus Chitonaster Sladen, 1889 -- 4 species
  • genus Circeaster Koehler, 1909 -- 9 species
  • genus Cladaster Verrill, 1899 -- 4 species
  • genus Diplasiaster Halpern, 1970 -- 1 species
  • genus Enigmaster McKnight & H.E.S. Clark, 1996 -- 1 species
  • genus Eratosaster Mah, 2011 -- 1 species
  • subfamily Ferdininae Mah 2017
    • genus Bathyferdina Mah 2017 -- 1 species
    • genus Eosaster Mah, 2017 -- 1 species
    • genus Ferdina Gray, 1840 -- 3 species
    • genus Kanakaster Mah, 2017 -- 6 species
    • genus Neoferdina Livingstone, 1931 -- 12 species
    • genre Paraferdina James, 1973 -- 3 species
  • genus Floriaster Downey, 1980 -- 1 species
  • genus Fromia Gray, 1840 -- 16 species
  • genus Gigantaster Döderlein, 1924 -- 1 species
  • genus Glyphodiscus Fisher, 1917 -- 3 species
  • genus Goniaster L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 1 species
  • subfamily Hippasterinae
    • genus Evoplosoma Fisher, 1906 -- 8 species
    • genus Gilbertaster Fisher, 1906 -- 2 species
    • genus Hippasteria Gray, 1840 -- 11 species
    • genus Sthenaster Mah, Nizinski & Lundsten, 2010 -- 1 species
  • genus Iconaster Sladen, 1889 -- 4 species
  • genus Johannaster Koehler, 1909 -- 1 species
  • genus Kermitaster H.E.S. Clark, 2001 -- 1 species
  • genus Lithosoma Fisher, 1911 -- 6 species
  • genus Litonotaster Verrill, 1899 -- 4 species
  • genus Lydiaster Koehler, 1909 -- 1 species
  • genus Mabahissaster Macan, 1938 -- 1 species
  • genus Mariaster A.H. Clark, 1916 -- 1 species
  • genus Mediaster Stimpson, 1857 -- 17 species
  • genus Milteliphaster Alcock, 1893 -- 2 species
  • genus Nectria Gray, 1840 -- 8 species
  • genus Neoferdina Livingstone, 1931 -- 6 species
  • genus Notioceramus Fisher, 1940 -- 1 species
  • genus Nymphaster Sladen, 1889 -- 16 species
  • genus Ogmaster von Martens, 1865 -- 1 species
  • genus Peltaster Verrill, 1899 -- 3 species
  • subfamily Pentagonasterinae Perrier
    • genus Akelbaster Mah, 2007 -- 1 species
    • genus Anchitosia Mah, 2007 -- 1 species
    • genus Eknomiaster HES Clark in HES Clark & D.G. McKnight, 2001 -- 2 species
    • genus Pawsonaster Mah, 2007 -- 1 species
    • genus Pentagonaster Gray, 1840 -- 5 species
    • genus Ryukuaster Mah, 2007 -- 1 species
    • genus Toraster A.M. Clark, 1952 -- 1 species
    • genus Tosia Gray, 1840 -- 3 species
  • genus Pergamaster Koehler, 1920 -- 2 species
  • genus Pillsburiaster Halpern, 1970 -- 7 species
  • genus Plinthaster Verrill, 1899 -- 5 species
  • genus Pontioceramus Fisher, 1911 -- 1 species
  • genus Progoniaster Döderlein, 1924 -- 1 species
  • genus Pseudoceramaster Jangoux, 1981 -- 2 species
  • genus Pseudogoniodiscaster Livingstone, 1930 -- 1 species
  • genus Rosaster Perrier, 1894 -- 11 species
  • genus Sibogaster Döderlein, 1924 -- 2 species
  • genus Siraster H.L. Clark, 1915 -- 1 species
  • genus Sphaeriodiscus Fisher, 1910 -- 7 species
  • genus Stellaster Gray, 1840 -- 7 species
  • genus Stellasteropsis Dollfus, 1936 -- 3 species
  • genus Styphlaster H.L. Clark, 1938 -- 1 species
  • genus Tessellaster H.L. Clark, 1941 -- 1 species

Extinct genera
Fossil of Marocaster coronatus.
Ray fragment of fossil goniasterid; Zichor Formation (Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous), southern Israel.

Lists of genera containing extinct species according to fossilworks.[8]

  • Bugarachaster Breton 1992
  • Buterminaster Blake and Zinsmeister 1988
  • Caletaster Breton 1978
  • Capellia Blake and Reid 1998
  • Cenomanaster Wright 1951
  • Chomataster Spencer 1913
  • Codellaster Blake and Kues 2002
  • Comptonia Gray 1840
  • Comptoniaster Breton 1983
  • Cottreauaster Wright 1951
  • Crateraster Spencer 1913
  • Cymbaster Breton and Néraudeau 2008
  • Fayoumaster Roman and Strougo 1987
  • Fomalhautia Blake and Reid 1998
  • Forbesiaster de Loriol 1909
  • Fredaster Breton and Néraudeau 2008
  • Galbaster Villier et al. 2004
  • Haccourtaster Jagt 2000
  • Hessaster Gale 2011
  • Huroeaster Valette 1915
  • Leptogonium Pomel 1885
  • Marocaster Blake and Reboul 2011
  • Mastaster Mercier 1935
  • Metopaster Sladen 1893
  • Miopentagonaster Mercier 1935
  • Nehalemia Blake 1973
  • Noviaster Valette 1929
  • Ocalaster Blake and Portell 2009
  • Ophryaster Spencer 1913
  • Oyenaster Blake and Portell 2009
  • Pachyaster de Loriol 1909
  • Parametopaster Breton 1992
  • Pentetagonaster d'Orbigny 1850
  • Pulcinellaster Breton 1992
  • Recurvaster Brünnich-Nielsen 1943
  • Skiaster Blake and Jagt 2005
  • Spenceraster Lambert 1914
  • Sucia Blake 1973
  • Talecaster Breton 1992
  • Teichaster Spencer 1913
  • Tomidaster Sladen 1891
  • Tylasteria Valette 1929

References
  1. "Family Goniasteridae". Marine Species Identification Portal.
  2. "Family Goniasteridae". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz.
  3. Mah, Christopher L. (2015-03-05). "New species, corallivory, in situ video observations, and overview of the Goniasteridae (Valvatida, Asteroidea) in the Hawaiian region". Zootaxa. 3926 (2): 211–228. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3926.2.3. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 25781779.
  4. Clark, A. M. An index of names of recent Asteroidea Part 2: Valvatida. Echinoderm Studies 4 (1993)
  5. Christopher Mah (23 April 2013). "How many starfish species are there ? Where do they Live ? How long have they been around ? Five Points about Sea Star Diversity". The Echinoblog.
  6. Christopher Mah, "Overview of the Ferdina-like Goniasteridae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) including a new subfamily, three new genera and fourteen new species", Zootaxa, vol. 4271, 2017.
  7. Christopher Mah (2014), Goniasteridae Forbes, 1841, In: Mah, C.L. (2014) World Asteroidea database, accessed through World Register of Marine Species
  8. "Fossilworks: Goniasteridae". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 2019-04-06.

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