Goniasteridae

Goniasteridae
Temporal range: Jurassic - recent
Pentagonaster duebeni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Goniasteridae
Forbes, 1841
Genera

See Text.

Goniasteridae are the largest family of sea stars, included in the ordo Valvatida.

Description

Nectria ocellata
Neoferdina insolita
Ray fragment of fossil goniasterid; Zichor Formation (Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous), southern Israel.

Goniasteridae are usually middle-sized sea stars with a characteristic double range of marginal plates bordering the disk and arms. Most of them have 5 arms, often short and triangular, around a broad central disc ; lots of species are pentagonal or subpentagonal (hence the name of the family). 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) in all the world’s oceans, being the most diverse in the Indo-Pacific region.[3]

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,[4] even if half of the genera are monospecific.

According to World Register of Marine Species, this family includes the following genera:[5]

  • 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
  • genus Floriaster Downey, 1980 -- 1 species
  • genus Fromia Gray, 1840 -- 12 species
  • genus Gigantaster Döderlein, 1924 -- 1 species
  • genus Glyphodiscus Fisher, 1917 -- 3 species
  • genus Goniaster L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 1 species
  • Sous-famille 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


References

  1. "Family Goniasteridae". Marine Species Identification Portal.
  2. "Family Goniasteridae". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz.
  3. Clark, A. M. An index of names of recent Asteroidea Part 2: Valvatida. Echinoderm Studies 4 (1993)
  4. 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.
  5. Christopher Mah (2014), Goniasteridae Forbes, 1841, In: Mah, C.L. (2014) World Asteroidea database, accessed through World Register of Marine Species
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