Family PTERASTERIDAE

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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by an undescribed species, several specimens of which have been collected from off New South Wales (Rowe, F.W.E., unpublished data).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.

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