Pterasteridae

Pterasteridae is a family of sea stars in the order Velatida, consisting of eight genera.

Pterasteridae
Temporal range:
Pteraster capensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Velatida
Family: Pterasteridae
Perrier, 1875
Genera[1]

See text

Description and characteristics

Pterasterids are primarily deep-water, and have an inflated aboral surface. Like many other members of the ordo Velatida, they have a hole in the middle of the central disc called "osculum", from which they can expel mucus for defending against predators.[2]

Many species brood their young in an internal chamber flushed with seawater.

Fossil pterasterids have been found as early as the upper Campanian of the Cretaceous period.[3]

Genera

According to the World Register of Marine Species :

  • Amembranaster Golotsvan, 1998 -- 1 species
  • Benthaster Sladen, 1882 -- 3 species
  • Calyptraster Sladen, 1882 -- 5 species
  • Diplopteraster Verrill, 1880 -- 7 species
  • Euretaster Fisher, 1940 -- 3 species
  • Hymenaster Thomson, 1873 -- 51 species
  • Hymenasterides Fisher, 1911 -- 2 species
  • Pteraster Müller & Troschel, 1842 -- 46 species

References
  1. Mah, C.L. "Pterasteridae Perrier, 1875". World Asteroidea Database. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  2. Mah, Christopher L. "Pteraster & kin- Starfish that fight back with mucus!". Echinoblog.
  3. Villier, Loïc; Blake, Daniel B.; Jagt, John W. M.; Kutscher, Manfred (2004). "A preliminary phylogeny of the Pterasteridae (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) and the first fossil record: Late Cretaceous of Germany and Belgium". Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 78 (2): 281–299. doi:10.1007/BF03009226.
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