Hippasteria

Hippasteria
Hippasteria phrygiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Goniasteridae
Subfamily: Hippasterinae
Genus: Hippasteria
Gray, 1840[1]
Synonyms

Hippasteria (Euhippasteria) Dons, 1938
Hippasteria (Nehippasteria) Dons, 1938
Cryptopeltaster Fisher, 1905

Hippasteria is one of 70 genera of sea star in the diverse family Goniasteridae.[1]

Description and characteristics

These sea stars are regular, five-armed starfishes, with a large and flattened central disc. Most of the species in this genus live in deep seas, where they seem to be predators of deep sea coral and cnidarians.[2]

The species Hippasteria phrygiana may be one of the most widely distributed species : it is present in the 3 main oceanic basins.[3]

List of species

According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), the genus Hippasteria is composed of the following twelve species:[1]


Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mah, Christopher L. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Hippasteria Gray, 1840". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  2. Mah, Christopher L. (2014-06-10). "The Hippest Post you Know! New Hippasteria species!". The Echinoblog.
  3. Mah, Christopher L. (2013-02-12). "Starfish Mystery! 3 Oceans,2 Hemispheres,but ONE species?!". The Echinoblog.


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