Asteriidae
| Asteriidae | ||||||||||
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Common starfish ( Asterias rubens ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Asteriidae | ||||||||||
| Gray , 1840 |
The family Asteriidae with almost 170 species in 40 genera, the third largest family of starfish to the Goniasteridae and astropectinidae . This includes most of the starfish found on European coasts.
features
The starfish of the family Asteriidae have lime platelets arranged like a net in their skin and longitudinal rows of simple thorns. There are mostly both straight and crossed pedicellariums . An anus is always present.
As with a number of other starfish families, the stomach can be everted for extraintestinal digestion . However, among these starfish the ability to forcibly open mussel shells , armpit shells or opercula of snails by the force of the suction feet and arms, and even to crack sea urchin housings (as with the ice star ), a specialty of the Asteriidae, because by far not all starfish with powerful suction feet get their prey in this way.
Spread and some species
Most of the species in this family are found in temperate and cold waters, but there are also some species in warmer areas. The common starfish ( Asterias rubens ) is distributed throughout the Atlantic, including the North Sea and the Baltic Sea . The ice star ( Marthasterias glacialis ) can also be found in the Mediterranean . This and the "sunflower starfish " Pycnopodia helianthoides from the North American Pacific coast, which resembles the sun stars (Solasteridae) with its many arms , are the two largest starfish species with a maximum diameter of about 1 m. While many species in this family prefer slow prey such as mussels , snails , barnacles or sea urchins , Stylasterias forreri and Astrometis sertulifera can also catch decapods and small fish with their pedicellarians . A key species in the North American Pacific coast's ecosystem is Pisaster ochraceus , which feeds on numerous animal species and is the main enemy of the otherwise dominant Californian mussel ( Mytilus californianus ). In Australia , the North Pacific starfish ( Asterias amurensis ) introduced from the North Pacific has become a problem for native species.
Genera
- Ampheraster Fisher, 1923
- Anteliaster Fisher, 1923
- Aphanasterias
- Asterias Linnaeus, 1758
- Astrometis Fisher, 1923
- Coronaster Perrier, 1885
- Coscinasterias
- Evasterias Verrill, 1914
- Leptasterias Verrill, 1866
- Lethasterias Fisher, 1923
- Marthasterias
- Orthasterias Verrill, 1914
- Pedicellaster Sars, 1861
- Pisaster Müller & Troschel, 1840
- Pycnopodia Stimpson, 1862
- Rathbunaster Fisher, 1906
- Sclerasterias Perrier, 1891
- Stenasterias
- Stephanasterias Verrill, 1871
- Stichastrella
- Stylasterias Verrill, 1914
- Tarsaster Sladen, 1889
- Urasterias
Web links
- MJ de Kluijver & SS Ingalsuo: Macrobenthos of the North Sea - Echinodermata, Family Asteriidae . Marine Species Identification Portal
- ITIS Asteriidae Gray, 1840
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michel Jangoux: Food and feeding mechanisms: Asteroidea . In: Michel Jangoux, John M. Lawrence: Echinoderm Nutrition . AA Balkema, Rotterdam 1982. pp. 117-160. 2.2.3. Capture of slow-moving, sedentary or attached protected price . P. 145.