These are generally small sea stars, flattened dorsally and bearing very short arms, often giving a pentagonal shape in the body ;example: Asterians rubens (except in some species possessing more than five arms). The periphery of the body is thin and formed by indistinct, tiny marginal plates. They are characterized by their aborale face formed by plates shaped like crescents, sometimes giving a "knitted" appearance to the skin.[2]
The abyssal species can be bigger, like those of the genus Anseropoda, which can exceed 45 cm in diameter.[2]
Biology
Most of the species are small and relatively cryptic: they are often found hidden under rocks or in crevices, for example. Several species have access to a fissiparous asexual reproduction, multiplying their reproductive potential. For that reason, some species of the genera Meridiastra and Aquilonastra can sometimes appear spontaneously in aquariums, where they can proliferate from just one larva imported inadvertently. Some species can brood their young (which thus do not pass through a planctonic larval stage), such as Asterina pancerii.[2]
Most of the species feed on food fragments and algal or bacterial mat covering the substratum, evaginating their stomach on their food (a frequent feeding mode in sea stars). However, some species like Stegnaster inflatus takes advantage of their webbed shape to form a "trap" by heightening on the tip of their arms, and suddenly falling on a prey which would have believed to find shelter there.[2]
They can be found in almost all the seas of the world, from the abysses to the surface and from the poles to the tropics.[2]
Genera
This family comprises about 21 genera and 116 species according to O'Loughlin & Waters (2004),[3] whereas the World Asteroidea Database states that it includes 150 species in 25 genera.[1]
Genera included in the family according to the World Asteroidea Database:[1]
Ailsastra O'Loughlin & Rowe, 2005
Allopatiria Verrill, 1913
Anseropoda Nardo, 1834
Aquilonastra O'Loughlin in O'Loughlin & Waters, 2004
^ abcMah, Christopher (2013). Mah CL (ed.). "Asterinidae Gray, 1840". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
^ abcdeMah, Christopher L. (June 24, 2015). "Better know The Asterinidae: Familiar & Unfamiliar!". The Echinoblog.
^O'Loughlin, P. M.; Waters, J. M. (2004). (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 61 (1): 1–40. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2004.61.1. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2008.
Bibliography
P. M. O'Loughlin; J. M. Waters (2004). (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 61 (1): 1–40. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2004.61.1. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2008.
Byrne, Maria (2006). "Life history diversity and evolution in the Asterinidae". Integrative and Comparative Biology. 46 (3): 1–12. doi:10.1093/icb/icj033. PMID 21672739.
External links
Mah, Christopher L. (June 24, 2015). "Better know The Asterinidae: Familiar & Unfamiliar!". The Echinoblog.
World Register of Marine Species link: Asterinidae (+species list)
asterinidae, large, family, stars, order, valvatida, anseropoda, placentascientific, classificationkingdom, animaliaphylum, echinodermataclass, asteroideaorder, valvatidafamily, gray, 1840, genera25, text, contents, description, characteristics, biology, gener. The Asterinidae are a large family of sea stars in the order Valvatida AsterinidaeAnseropoda placentaScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum EchinodermataClass AsteroideaOrder ValvatidaFamily AsterinidaeGray 1840 1 Genera25 see text Contents 1 Description and characteristics 2 Biology 3 Genera 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksDescription and characteristics EditThese are generally small sea stars flattened dorsally and bearing very short arms often giving a pentagonal shape in the body example Asterians rubens except in some species possessing more than five arms The periphery of the body is thin and formed by indistinct tiny marginal plates They are characterized by their aborale face formed by plates shaped like crescents sometimes giving a knitted appearance to the skin 2 The abyssal species can be bigger like those of the genus Anseropoda which can exceed 45 cm in diameter 2 Biology EditMost of the species are small and relatively cryptic they are often found hidden under rocks or in crevices for example Several species have access to a fissiparous asexual reproduction multiplying their reproductive potential For that reason some species of the genera Meridiastra and Aquilonastra can sometimes appear spontaneously in aquariums where they can proliferate from just one larva imported inadvertently Some species can brood their young which thus do not pass through a planctonic larval stage such as Asterina pancerii 2 Most of the species feed on food fragments and algal or bacterial mat covering the substratum evaginating their stomach on their food a frequent feeding mode in sea stars However some species like Stegnaster inflatus takes advantage of their webbed shape to form a trap by heightening on the tip of their arms and suddenly falling on a prey which would have believed to find shelter there 2 They can be found in almost all the seas of the world from the abysses to the surface and from the poles to the tropics 2 Genera EditThis family comprises about 21 genera and 116 species according to O Loughlin amp Waters 2004 3 whereas the World Asteroidea Database states that it includes 150 species in 25 genera 1 Genera included in the family according to the World Asteroidea Database 1 Ailsastra O Loughlin amp Rowe 2005 Allopatiria Verrill 1913 Anseropoda Nardo 1834 Aquilonastra O Loughlin in O Loughlin amp Waters 2004 Asterina Nardo 1834 Asterinides Verrill 1913 Asterinopsis Verrill 1913 Callopatiria Verrill 1913 Cryptasterina Dartnall amp al 2003 Disasterina Perrier 1875 Indianastra O Loughlin in O Loughlin amp Waters 2004 Kampylaster Koehler 1920 Manasterina H L Clark 1938 Meridiastra O Loughlin 2002 Nepanthia Gray 1840 Paranepanthia Fisher 1917 Parvulastra O Loughlin in O Loughlin amp Waters 2004 Patiria Gray 1840 Patiriella Verrill 1913 Pseudasterina Aziz amp Jangoux 1985 Pseudonepanthia A H Clark 1916 Pseudopatiria O Loughlin in O Loughlin amp Waters 2004 Stegnaster Sladen 1889 Tegulaster Livingstone 1933 Tremaster Verrill 1880 Ctenaster L Agassiz 1836 Desmopatiria Verrill 1913 Ailsastra eleaumei MNHN Allopatiria ocellifera MNHN Anseropoda placenta Aquilonastra conandae Asterina gibbosa Asterinides pilosa MNHN Callopatiria granifera Cryptasterina sp Disasterina abnormalis Indianastra sarasini Kampylaster incurvatus Meridiastra calcar Nepanthia maculata Paranepanthia sp Parvulastra exigua Patiria pectinifera Patiriella dyscrita Pseudonepanthia troughtoni Stegnaster inflatus Tremaster mirabilisReferences Edit a b c Mah Christopher 2013 Mah CL ed Asterinidae Gray 1840 World Asteroidea database World Register of Marine Species Retrieved 2014 01 19 a b c d e Mah Christopher L June 24 2015 Better know The Asterinidae Familiar amp Unfamiliar The Echinoblog O Loughlin P M Waters J M 2004 A molecular and morphological revision of genera of Asterinidae Echinodermata Asteroidea PDF Memoirs of Museum Victoria 61 1 1 40 doi 10 24199 j mmv 2004 61 1 Archived from the original PDF on August 23 2008 Bibliography EditP M O Loughlin J M Waters 2004 A molecular and morphological revision of genera of Asterinidae Echinodermata Asteroidea PDF Memoirs of Museum Victoria 61 1 1 40 doi 10 24199 j mmv 2004 61 1 Archived from the original PDF on August 23 2008 Byrne Maria 2006 Life history diversity and evolution in the Asterinidae Integrative and Comparative Biology 46 3 1 12 doi 10 1093 icb icj033 PMID 21672739 External links EditMah Christopher L June 24 2015 Better know The Asterinidae Familiar amp Unfamiliar The Echinoblog World Register of Marine Species link Asterinidae species list Asterinidae Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asterinidae amp oldid 1088247142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
