Family of starfishes
Goniasteridae (the biscuit stars ) constitute the largest family of sea stars , included in the order Valvatida . They are mostly deep-dwelling species, but the family also include several colorful shallow tropical species.
Description
Fromia indica Nectria ocellata Neoferdina insolita Goniasteridae are usually middle-sized sea stars with a characteristic double range of marginal plates bordering the disk and arms. Most of them have five arms, often short and triangular, around a broad central disc; many species are pentagonal or subpentagonal, covered densely with granular, seed-like protuberances, hence the name of the family "seed-star" (gonium+aster ). 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)[3] in all the world's oceans, being the most diverse in the Indo-Pacific region.[4]
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,[5] even if half of the genera are monospecific. Species belonging to the Ferdininae subfamily have been imported from Ophidiasteridae thanks to a large revision of these two families in 2017[6]
According to World Register of Marine Species , this family includes the following genera:[7]
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
subfamily Ferdininae Mah 2017
genus Bathyferdina Mah 2017 -- 1 species
genus Eosaster Mah, 2017 -- 1 species
genus Ferdina Gray, 1840 -- 3 species
genus Kanakaster Mah, 2017 -- 6 species
genus Neoferdina Livingstone, 1931 -- 12 species
genus Paraferdina James, 1973 -- 3 species
genus Floriaster Downey, 1980 -- 1 species
genus Fromia Gray, 1840 -- 16 species
genus Gigantaster Döderlein, 1924 -- 1 species
genus Glyphodiscus Fisher, 1917 -- 3 species
genus Goniaster L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 1 species
subfamily Hippasterinae
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
Akelbaster novaecaledoniae
Anthenoides piercei
Astroceramus eldredgei
Ceramaster granularis
Chitonaster johannae
Circeaster sandrae
Cladaster analogus
Eknomiaster beccae
Eratosaster jennae
Ferdina flavescens
Kanakaster solidus
Paraferdina plakos
Gilbertaster caribaea
Glyphodiscus magnificus
Goniaster tessellatus
`Mariaster giganteus
Milteliphaster woodmasoni
Nectria macrobrachia
Nymphaster arenatus
Peltaster placenta
Pillsburiaster calvus
Plinthaster dentatus
Pseudoceramaster regularis
Sphaeriodiscus mirabilis
Stellaster childreni
Stellasteropsis fouadi
Extinct genera
Fossil of Marocaster coronatus . Ray fragment of fossil goniasterid; Zichor Formation (Coniacian , Upper Cretaceous ), southern Israel . Lists of genera containing extinct species according to fossilworks.[8]
Bugarachaster Breton 1992
Buterminaster Blake and Zinsmeister 1988
Caletaster Breton 1978
Capellia Blake and Reid 1998
Cenomanaster Wright 1951
Chomataster Spencer 1913
Codellaster Blake and Kues 2002
Comptonia Gray 1840
Comptoniaster Breton 1983
Cottreauaster Wright 1951
Crateraster Spencer 1913
Cymbaster Breton and Néraudeau 2008
Fayoumaster Roman and Strougo 1987
Fomalhautia Blake and Reid 1998
Forbesiaster de Loriol 1909
Fredaster Breton and Néraudeau 2008
Galbaster Villier et al. 2004
Haccourtaster Jagt 2000
Hessaster Gale 2011
Huroeaster Valette 1915
Leptogonium Pomel 1885
Marocaster Blake and Reboul 2011
Mastaster Mercier 1935
Metopaster Sladen 1893
Miopentagonaster Mercier 1935
Nehalemia Blake 1973
Noviaster Valette 1929
Ocalaster Blake and Portell 2009
Ophryaster Spencer 1913
Oyenaster Blake and Portell 2009
Pachyaster de Loriol 1909
Parametopaster Breton 1992
Pentetagonaster d'Orbigny 1850
Pulcinellaster Breton 1992
Recurvaster Brünnich-Nielsen 1943
Skiaster Blake and Jagt 2005
Spenceraster Lambert 1914
Sucia Blake 1973
Talecaster Breton 1992
Teichaster Spencer 1913
Tomidaster Sladen 1891
Tylasteria Valette 1929