Meridiastra
Genus of star fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Meridiastra is a genus of starfish in the family Asterinidae.[2][3] The genus is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans,[4] with most records from the waters around Australia.[3] They occur in shallow waters down to a depth of about 59 m (194 ft). Meridiastra are morphologically similar to the Atlantic genus Asterina. They are also phylogenetically close and possibly sister genera.[4]
| Meridiastra | |
|---|---|
| |
| Meridiastra atyphoida – the type species | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Valvatida |
| Family: | Asterinidae |
| Genus: | Meridiastra O'Loughlin, 2002[1] |
| Type species | |
| Asterina atyphoida H.L. Clark, 1916 | |
| Species | |
|
11 species (see text) | |
Etymology
The generic name is derived from the Latin meridies (=south) and astrum (=star), in reference to the southern Australian and Pacific distribution of the genus[1] (at the time of description – the genus now includes also species occurring on the northern hemisphere (Mexico, Panama)[4]).
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Description
Meridiastra are sea stars with five to eight rays (arms). They range from very small (Meridiastra rapa: radius 6 mm (0.24 in)) to medium-sized (Meridiastra gunnii: radius 56 mm (2.2 in)). The interradial margin is straight to incurved; when the rays are distinct, they have narrowly rounded to pointed tips.[4] One species, Meridiastra fissura, is fissiparous.[1][4]
Species
There are 11 recognized species:[2]
- Meridiastra atyphoida (H.L. Clark, 1916)
- Meridiastra calcar (Lamarck, 1816)
- Meridiastra fissura O'Loughlin, 2002
- Meridiastra gunnii (Gray, 1840)
- Meridiastra medius (O'Loughlin, Waters & Roy, 2003)
- Meridiastra modesta (Verrill, 1867)
- Meridiastra mortenseni (O'Loughlin, Waters & Roy, 2002)
- Meridiastra nigranota O'Loughlin, 2002
- Meridiastra occidens (O'Loughlin, Waters & Roy, 2003)
- Meridiastra oriens (O'Loughlin, Waters & Roy, 2003)
- Meridiastra rapa O'Loughlin, 2002