Pterasteridae
Family of starfishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pterasteridae is a family of sea stars in the order Velatida, consisting of eight genera.
| Pterasteridae Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Pteraster capensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| 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
Hymenaster echinulatus (both faces)
Hymenaster sp.
Pteraster stellifer (both faces)
Pteraster sp.
