Asteriidae

Common starfish Asterias rubens, photographed by Jason Hall-Spencer.

Belongs within: Asteriadina.
Contains: Leptasterias.

The Asteriidae are a family of starfish with a swollen body and both straight and crossed pedicellariae. Of the three subfamilies listed below, the Pycnopodiinae has the aboral skeleton obsolescent, whereas Neomorphaster has the primary aboral plates conspicuously enlarged. The Asteriinae is composed of more generalised forms that lack the distinctive characters of the other subfamilies (Spencer & Wright 1966).

Characters (from Spencer & Wright 1966): Arms 5 to many; body swollen; ambulacrals and adambulacrals numerous, compressed; adambulacrals transversely elongate, ambulacrals narrow. Tube feet normally in 4 rows; pedicellariae straight and crossed. Aboral skeleton generally reticulate.

Asteriidae
    |  i. s.: ‘Compsaster’ spiniger (Wright 1880) B02
    |         Germanasterias BH03
    |--Neomorphaster Sladen 1889 (see below for synonymy) SW66
    |    `--*N. eustichus Sladen 1889 [incl. Stichaster talismani Perrier 1891] SW66
    |--Pycnopodiinae [Pycnopodiidae] SW66
    |    |--Pycnopodia Stimpson 1862 SW66
    |    |    `--*P. helianthoides (Brandt 1835) [=Asterias helianthoides] SW66
    |    `--Lysastrosoma Fisher 1922 SW66
    |         `--*L. anthosticta Fisher 1922 SW66
    `--Asteriinae [Coscinasteriinae, Notasteriinae, Stichasteridae] SW66
         |--Leptasterias SW66
         |--Adelasterias Koehler 1914 SW66
         |    `--*A. papillosa (Koehler 1906) [=Diplasterias papillosa] SW66
         |--Allostichaster Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*A. polyplax (Müller & Troschel 1844) [=Asteracanthion polyplax] SW66
         |--Aphanasterias Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*A. pycnopodia Fisher 1923 SW66
         |--Aphelasterias Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*A. japonica (Bell 1881) [=Asterias japonica] SW66
         |--Astrometis Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*A. sertulifera (Xantus 1860) [=Asterias sertulifera] SW66
         |--Astrostole Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*A. scaber (Hutton 1872) [=Margaraster scaber] SW66
         |--Australiaster Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*A. dubius (Clark 1909) [=Coscinasterias dubia] SW66
         |--Caimanaster Clark 1962 SW66
         |    `--*C. acutus Clark 1962 SW66
         |--Carlasterias da Costa 1952 [incl. Mortensenia da Costa 1941 non Döderlein 1906] SW66
         |    `--*C. lusitanica (da Costa 1941) [=Mortensenia lusitanica] SW66
         |--Cosmasterias Sladen 1889 [=Comasterias Perrier 1891; incl. Quadraster Perrier 1896] SW66
         |    `--C. lurida (Philippi 1858) (see below for synonymy) SW66
         |--Cryptasterias Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*C. turqueti (Koehler 1906) [=Diplasterias turqueti] SW66
         |--Displasterias Perrier 1888 (see below for synonymy) SW66
         |    `--*D. brandti (Bell 1881) [=Asterias brandti] SW66
         |--Distolasterias Perrier 1896 SW66
         |    `--*D. stichantha (Sladen 1889) [=Asterias (Stolasterias) stichantha] SW66
         |--Evasterias Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*E. troscheli (Stimpson 1862) [=Asterias troscheli] SW66
         |--Gastraster Perrier 1894 SW66
         |    `--*G. margaritaceus (Perrier 1882) [=Pedicellaster margaritaceus] SW66
         |--Granaster Perrier 1894 [incl. Hemiasterias Verrill 1914] SW66
         |    `--*G. nutrix (Studer 1885) [=Stichaster nutrix] SW66
         |--Icasterias Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*I. panopla (Stuxberg 1878) [=Asterias panopla] SW66
         |--Kenrickaster Clark 1962 SW66
         |    `--*K. pedicellaris Clark 1962 SW66
         |--Lethasterias Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*L. nanimensis (Verrill 1914) [=Asterias nanimensis] SW66
         |--Lysasterias Fisher 1908 [incl. Anasterias Ludwig 1903 non Perrier 1885, Paedasterias Verrill 1914] SW66
         |    `--*L. perrieri (Studer 1885) [=Anasterias perrieri] SW66
         |--Marthasterias Jullien 1878 SW66
         |    `--M. glacialis (Linné 1758) SW66 (see below for synonymy)
         |--Meyenaster Verrill 1913 SW66
         |    `--*M. gelatinosus (Meyen 1834) [=Asterias gelatinosus] SW66
         |--Neosmilaster Fisher 1930 SW66
         |    `--*N. georgianus (Studer 1885) [=Asterias georgianus] SW66
         |--Notasterias Koehler 1911 [incl. Autasterias Koehler 1911] SW66
         |    `--*N. armata Koehler 1911 SW66
         |--Orthasterias Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--O. koehleri (de Loriol 1897) [=Asterias koehleri; incl. *O. columbiana Verrill 1914] SW66
         |--Perissasterias Clark 1923 SW66
         |    `--*P. polyacantha Clark 1923 SW66
         |--Pisaster Müller & Troschel 1840 [incl. Calliasterias Fewkes 1889] SW66
         |    |--P. ochraceus (Brandt 1835) (see below for synonymy) SW66
         |    `--P. giganteus (Stimpson 1857) CWH77
         |--Psalidaster Fisher 1940 SW66
         |    `--*P. mordax Fisher 1940 SW66
         |--Pseudechinaster Clark 1962 SW66
         |    `--*P. rubens Clark 1962 SW66
         |--Saliasterias Koehler 1920 SW66
         |    `--*S. bracheata Koehler 1920 SW66
         |--Sclerasterias Perrier 1891 [incl. Eustolasterias Fisher 1923] SW66
         |    `--*S. guernei Perrier 1891 SW66
         |--Smilasterias Sladen 1889 [incl. Nanaster Perrier 1894] SW66
         |    `--*S. scalprifera (Sladen 1889) [=Asterias (*Smilasterias) scalprifera] SW66
         |--Stenasterias Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*S. macropora (Verrill 1909) [=Asterias (Leptasterias) macropora] SW66
         |--Stephanasterias Verrill 1871 SW66
         |    `--*S. albula (Stimpson 1853) [=Asteracanthion albulus] SW66
         |--Stichaster Müller & Troschel 1840 [incl. Coelasterias Verrill 1871, Tonia Gray 1840] SW66
         |    `--*S. aurantiacus (Meyen 1834) [=Asterias aurantiaca] SW66
         |--Stichastrella Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*S. rosea (Müller 1776) [=Asterias rosea] SW66
         |--Stylasterias Verrill 1914 SW66
         |    `--*S. forreri (de Loriol 1887) [=Asterias forreri] SW66
         |--Tarsastrocles Fisher 1923 SW66
         |    `--*T. verrilli (Fisher 1903) [=Hydrasterias verrilli] SW66
         |--Triplasterias Engels & Schroevers 1961 SW66
         |    `--*T. mercatoris Engels & Schroevers 1961 SW66
         |--Uniophora Gray 1840 SW66
         |    `--U. granifera (Lamarck 1816) [=Asterias granifera; incl. *U. globifera Gray 1840] SW66
         |--Urasterias Verrill 1909 SW66
         |    `--*U. linckii (Müller & Troschel 1842) [=Asteracanthion linckii] SW66
         |--Calvasterias Perrier 1875 [incl. Stichorella Koehler 1920] SW66
         |    |--*C. asterinoides Perrier 1875 SW66
         |    `--C. suteri F67
         |--Coscinasterias Verrill 1867 SW66
         |    |  i. s.: C. acutispina WOR04
         |    |         C. calamaria B64
         |    |--*C. (Coscinasterias) muricata Verrill 1867 SW66
         |    `--C. (Stolasterias Sladen 1889) [incl. Lytaster Perrier 1894, Polyasterias Perrier 1894] SW66
         |         `--C. (*S.) tenuispina (Lamarck 1816) [=Asterias tenuispina] SW66
         |--Anasterias Perrier 1875 (see below for synonymy) SW66
         |    |--*A. (Anasterias) minuta Perrier 1875 SW66
         |    |--A. (Kalyptasterias Koehler 1923) SW66
         |    |    `--A. (*K.) conferta (Koehler 1923) [=*Kalyptasterias conferta] SW66
         |    `--A. (Sporasterias Perrier 1894) SW66
         |         `--A. (S.) antarctica (Lütken 1856) (see below for synonymy) SW66
         `--Asterias Linnaeus 1758 B02 (see below for synonymy)
              |--*A. rubens Linnaeus 1758 SW66 [=Asteracanthion rubens BK77; incl. Asterias violacea BK77]
              |--A. amurensis MK05
              |--A. forbesi BK77
              |--A. gaveyi SW66
              |--A. lincki BK77
              `--A. vulgaris CH97

Anasterias Perrier 1875 [incl. Asteroderma Perrier 1888, Eremasterias Fisher 1930, Parastichaster Koehler 1920] SW66

Anasterias (Sporasterias) antarctica (Lütken 1856) [=Asteracanthion antarcticum; incl. Asterias rugispina Stimpson 1860, *Sporasterias rugispina] SW66

Asterias Linnaeus 1758 B02 [incl. Allasterias Verrill 1909 SW66, Asteracanthion Müller & Troschel 1840 SW66, Parasterias Verrill 1914 SW66, Stellonia Nardo 1834 SW66, Uraster Agassiz 1835 SW66]

Cosmasterias lurida (Philippi 1858) [=Asteracanthion luridum; incl. A. sulcifer Perrier 1869, *Cosmasterias sulcifer] SW66

Displasterias Perrier 1888 [incl. Bathyasterias Fisher 1930, Koehleraster Fisher 1922 non Lambert & Thiéry 1921, Podasterias Perrier 1894] SW66

Marthasterias glacialis (Linné 1758) SW66 [=Asterias glacialis SW66, Asteracanthion glaciale BK77; incl. *Marthasterias foliacea Jullien 1878 SW66]

Neomorphaster Sladen 1889 [=Glyptaster Sladen 1885 non Hall 1852; incl. Calycaster Perrier 1891; Neomorphasterinae] SW66

Pisaster ochraceus (Brandt 1835) [=Asterias ochraceus; incl. Asteracanthion margaritifer Müller & Troschel 1840, *Pisaster margaritifer] SW66

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BK77] Barel, C. D. N., & P. G. N. Kramers. 1977. A survey of the echinoderm associates of the north-east Atlantic area. Zoologische Verhandelingen 156: 1–159.

[B64] Bennett, E. W. 1964. The marine fauna of New Zealand: Crustacea Brachyura. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 153: 1–120.

[B02] Blake, D. B. 2002. Compsaster formosus Worthen & Miller (Asteroidea; Echinodermata): a Carboniferous homeomorph of the post-Paleozoic Asteriidae. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 76 (2): 357–367.

[BH03] Blake, D. B., & H. Hagdorn. 2003. The Asteroidea (Echniodermata) of the Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic of Germany). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 77 (1): 23–58.

[CH97] Castro, P., & M. E. Huber. 1997. Marine Biology 2^nd ed. WCB McGraw-Hill: Boston.

[CWH77] Cooper, J., M. Wieland & A. Hines. 1977. Subtidal abalone populations in an area inhabited by sea otters. Veliger 20 (2): 163–167.

[F67] Fell, H. B. 1967. Echinoderm ontogeny. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt S. Echinodermata 1. General characters. Homalozoa—Crinozoa (except Crinoidea) vol. 1 pp. S60–S85. The Geological Society of America, Inc., and The University of Kansas: Lawrence (Kansas).

[MK05] Matsubara, M., M. Komatsu, T. Araki, S. Asakawa, S. Yokobori, K. Watanabe & H. Wada. 2005. The phylogenetic status of Paxillosida (Asteroidea) based on complete mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 36: 598–605.

[SW66] Spencer, W. K., & C. W. Wright. 1966. Asterozoans. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on invertebrate Paleontology pt U. Echinodermata 3 vol. 1 pp. U4–U107. The Geological Society of America, Inc., and The University of Kansas Press.

[WOR04] Waters, J. M., P. M. O’Loughlin & M. S. Roy. 2004. Molecular systematics of some Indo-Pacific asterinids (Echinodermata, Asteroidea): does taxonomy reflect phylogeny? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30: 872–878.