Introduction

The family Pterasteridae is cosmopolitan. It includes nine known genera, two of which are recorded, one with one species, the other with two, in Australian waters. A third genus, Diplopteraster, is represented in Australia by an undescribed species, several specimens of which have been collected from off New South Wales (Rowe, F.W.E., unpublished data).

Pterasterids are distinguished within the order Velatida by the following combination of character states: arms five, body form stellate to pentagonal; cruciform or lobed aboral plates bearing groups of spinelets which support membrane, distinct from aboral surface, forming cavity for young which escape by central valved aperture, (osculum); lateral spines on adambulacrals either supporting actinal web or merging in actinal surface; actinal intermediate plates absent.

General References

Blake, D.B. 1987. A classification and phylogeny of post-Palaeozoic sea-stars (Asteroidea: Echinodermata). Journal of Natural History 21: 481-528

Fisher, W.K. 1911. Asteroidea of the North Pacific and adjacent waters. Part 1. Phanerozonia and Spinulosa. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 76: 1-419 pls 1-120

Spencer, W.K. & Wright, C.W. 1966. Asterozoans. pp. U4-U107 figs 1-89 in Moore, R.C. (ed.). Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part U. Echinodermata. 3. Asterozoa-Echinozoa. Kansas : Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press Vol. 1.

History of changes

• Euretaster Fisher, W.K. 1940. Asteroidea. Discovery Reports 20: 69-306 pls 1-23 [198].

  Type species:

   Retaster insignis Sladen, 1882 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Queensland, Western Australia

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

History of changes

• Retaster insignis Sladen, W.P. 1882. The Asteroidea of H.M.S. Challenger Expedition. — Part I. Pterasteridae. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology Zool. 16: 189-246 [200].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1890.5.7.736, Arafura Sea, Indo-Malay Archipelago.

Distribution

States

Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Dunsborough, WA to Moreton Bay, Qld; west-central Pacific Ocean. Depth range 0-132 m.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, inshore, marine, tropical.

General References

Clark, A.M. & Rowe, F.W.E. 1971. Monograph of Shallow-water Indo-west Pacific Echinoderms. London : Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) 238 pp. 100 figs 31 pls. [73] (following comments by H.L. Clark the relationship between this species and Euretaster cribrosus (von Martens, 1867) is still unresolved)

History of changes

• Hymenaster Thomson, C. Wyville 1873. The Depths of the Sea. An account of the general results of the dredging cruises of H.M.S.S. Porcupine and Lightning during the summers of 1868, 1869 and 1870, under the scientific direction of Dr. Carpenter, F.R.S., J. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.R.S., and Dr Wyville Thomson, F.R.S. London : Macmillan xxi 527 pp.

  Type species:

   Hymenaster pellucidus Thomson, 1873 by monotypy.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Lord Howe Province (14), Southern Province (8)

History of changes

• Hymenaster carnosus Sladen, W.P. 1882. The Asteroidea of H.M.S. Challenger Expedition. — Part I. Pterasteridae. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology Zool. 16: 189-246.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Off SE Australia, 1504-1976m, based on Museum Victoria specimens identified by Chris Mah

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Hymenaster coriaceus Koehler, R. 1920. Echinodermata Asteroidea. Scientific Reports of the Australasian Antarctic Research Expedition, 1911-1914 8: 1-308 pls 1-75.

  Type data:

   Holotype AM J2671 1 specimen, W of Kangaroo Island, 3240 m, February 25, 1914 [35°44'5, 135°58'E].

Distribution

States

South Australia

Extra Distribution Information

W of Kangaroo Is. (3240 m)

Known only from type locality.

Australian Endemic.

IMCRA

Southern Province (8)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Hymenaster platyacanthus Ludwig, H. 1905. Asteroidea. Reports on exploration by the US SS Albatross during 1891. 35. Reports on the scientific results of the expedition to the tropical Pacific, 1899–1900. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 32: 1-292 pls 1-35 [in German].

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Based on Museum Victoria specimens from the SE Australian continental slope identified by C Mah

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Lord Howe Province (14)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Hymenaster pudicus Koehler, R. 1920. Echinodermata Asteroidea. Scientific Reports of the Australasian Antarctic Research Expedition, 1911-1914 8: 1-308 pls 1-75.

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) AM J3567 2 syntypes, W of Kangaroo Is, 3240 m, February 25, 1914 [35°44'5, 135°58'E].

Distribution

States

South Australia

Extra Distribution Information

W of Kangaroo Is, 3240 m

Known only from type locality.

Australian Endemic.

IMCRA

Southern Province (8)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Pteraster Müller, J. & Troschel, F.H. 1842. System der Asteriden. Braunschweig : Papier, Druck und Verlag 134 pp. 12 pls. [127].

  Type species:

   Asterias militaris Müller, 1776 by monotypy.
• Hexaster Perrier, E. 1891. Sur les Stellérides recueilles dans le golfe de Gascoyne, aux Açores et à Terre-Neuve, pendant les Campagnes scientifiques du Yacht l'Hirondelle. Comptes Rendus (Hebdomadaires) des Séances de l'Academie des Sciences. Série D. Sciences Naturelles 112(21): 1225-1228 [1227].

  Type species:

   Hexaster obscurus Perrier, 1891 by original designation.
• Temnaster Verrill, A.E. 1894. Descriptions of new species of starfishes and ophiurans, with a revision of certain species formerly described, mostly from the collections made by the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 17: 245-297 [275] [proposed with subgeneric rank in Pteraster Müller & Troschel, 1842].

  Type species:

   Pteraster (Temnaster) hexactis Verrill, 1894 by monotypy.
• Lophopteraster Verrill, A.E. 1895. Distribution of the echinoderms of northeastern America. American Journal of Science 3 49(290, 291): 127-141, 199-212 [203].

  Type species:

   Lophopteraster abyssorum Verrill, 1895 by original designation.
• Pterasterides Verrill, A.E. 1909. Remarkable development of starfishes on the northwest American coast; hybridism; multiplicity of rays; teratology; problems in evolution; geographical distribution. American Zoologist 43: 542-555 figs 1-6 [547].

  Type species:

   Pteraster aporus Ludwig, 1886 by original designation.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Spencer, W.K. & Wright, C.W. 1966. Asterozoans. pp. U4-U107 figs 1-89 in Moore, R.C. (ed.). Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part U. Echinodermata. 3. Asterozoa-Echinozoa. Kansas : Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press Vol. 1. [U68]

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

West Pacific Ocean, Japan

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Norfolk Island Province (21), Macquarie Island Province (24), Southeast Shelf Transition (37)

Other Regions

Australian Antarctic Territory, Heard & McDonald Islands (Aust. Terr.)

History of changes

• Pteraster affinis Smith, E.A. 1876. Descriptions of species of Asteriidae and Ophiuridae from Kerguelen's Island. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4 17: 105-113.

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Antarctica (0–603 m), Magellanic region (0–740 m), Kerguelen (0–91 m), Heard Island (shore), Macquarie Island (8 m)

IMCRA

Macquarie Island Province (24)

Other Regions

Australian Antarctic Territory, Heard & McDonald Islands (Aust. Terr.)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Pteraster obesus Clark, H.L. 1908. Some Japanese and East Indian echinoderms. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 51(11): 279–311 [283].

  Type data:

   Holotype MCZ, Sagami Bay, Japan.

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Norfolk Is, Tasman Sea; Japan, west Pacific Ocean. Depth range 65-308 m

IMCRA

Norfolk Island Province (21)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine.

General References

Hayashi, R. 1973. Seven new species of asteroids from Sagami Bay. Journal of the College of Liberal Arts Toyama University, Natural Sciences 5: 1-13

Rowe, F.W.E. 1989. Nine new deep-water species of Echinodermata from Norfolk Island and Wanganella Bank, northeastern Tasman Sea, with a checklist of the echinoderm fauna. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 111(4): 257-291 12 figs 1 table

History of changes

• Pteraster tetracanthus Clark, H.L. 1916. I. Report on the sea-lilies, starfishes, brittle-stars and sea-urchins obtained by the F.I.S. Endeavour on the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Endeavour Research 4(1): 1-123 figs 1-11 pls 1-44 [67, pl. 18(1-2)].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM E5295, southeast of Cape Everard to south of Gabo Is., VIC.

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from southeast of Cape Everard to south of Gabo Is, Bass Strait. Depth range 165-274 m

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Southeast Shelf Transition (37)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine, temperate.

General References

Clark, H.L. 1946. The echinoderm fauna of Australia. Its composition and its origin. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 566: 1-567

History of changes