Comb stars
Comb stars | ||||||||||||
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Red comb star ( Astropecten aranciacus ), Tenerife |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Astropecten | ||||||||||||
Gray , 1840 |
The comb stars or comb starfish ( Astropecten ) are a cosmopolitan genus of starfish in the family Astropectinidae that live on sandy and muddy bottoms. With over 250 described and currently just over 100 accepted species, they are one of the most species-rich species of starfish.
features
In order to adapt to life on and in the sediment, comb stars have a regular, flattened shape with five arms in the shape of isosceles triangles, on the edges of which there are two rows of edge spikes and a row of edge plates in between. There are numerous umbrella-like platelets (paxillae) on the surface to protect the skin gills (papules). The ambulacral feet , which are provided with double ampoules, are pointed and have no suction pads. Most species lack pedicellariums . As with all Paxillenstars, the stomach ends blindly and cannot be turned out.
The many species of this genus can sometimes only be distinguished by specialists.
Distribution and occurrence
Comb stars can be found worldwide on sandy and muddy soils. They often dig a little into the ground, but they cannot move horizontally there.
There are 6 species in the Mediterranean, including the 15 cm to 30 cm large Nordic comb star ( Astropecten irregularis ) , which is also common in the North Sea, and the up to 50 cm large red comb star ( Astropecten aranciacus ), as well as Astropecten bispinosus , Astropecten jonstoni , Astropecten platyacanthus and Astropecten spinulosus .
nutrition
Astropecten are predators especially of mussels , snails and Grabfüßern , but also Vielborstern , crabs , brittle stars , sea urchins , starfish and cnidarians . The prey is swallowed whole and digested in the stomach. Indigestible residues are released through the mouth opening.
species
Astropecten is one of the most species-rich genus of starfish. The Astropecten aranciacus of the Mediterranean, described by Carl von Linné in 1758 as Asterias aranciaca , is the type species of the genus. So far, about 286 species of the genus Astropecten have been described, of which about 104 are currently accepted as species:
- Astropecten acanthifer Sladen, 1883
- Astropecten acutiradiatus Tortonese, 1956
- Astropecten africanus Koehler, 1911
- Astropecten alatus Perrier, 1875
- Astropecten alligator Perrier, 1881
- Astropecten americanus Verrill, 1880
- Astropecten anacanthus H.L. Clark, 1926
- Astropecten Andersoni Sladen, 1888
- Astropecten antillensis Lütken, 1859
- Astropecten aranciacus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Astropecten armatus Gray, 1840
- Astropecten articulatus (Say, 1825)
- Astropecten bandanus Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten bengalensis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten benthophilus Ludwig, 1905
- Astropecten bispinosus (Otto, 1823)
- Astropecten brasiliensis Müller & Troschel, 1842
- Astropecten brevispinus Sladen, 1883
- Astropecten carcharicus Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten caribemexicanensis Caso, 1990
- Astropecten celebensis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten cingulatus Sladen, 1833
- Astropecten comptus Verrill, 1915
- Astropecten debilis Koehler, 1910
- Astropecten dubiosus Mortensen, 1925
- Astropecten duplicatus Gray, 1840
- Astropecten eremicus Fisher, 1913
- Astropecten eucnemis Fisher, 1919
- Astropecten euryacanthus Lutken, 1871
- Astropecten exiguus Ludwig, 1905
- Astropecten exilis Mortensen, 1933
- Astropecten fasciatus Doderlein, 1926
- Astropecten formosus Sladen, 1878
- Astropecten fragilis Verrill, 1870
- Astropecten gisselbrechti Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten granulatus Müller & Troschel, 1842
- Astropecten griegi Koehler, 1909
- Astropecten gruveli Koehler, 1911
- Astropecten guineensis Koehler, 1911
- Astropecten hawaiiensis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten hemprichi Müller & Troschel, 1842
- Astropecten hermatophilus Sladen, 1883
- Astropecten huepferi Koehler, 1914
- Astropecten ibericus Perrier, 1894
- Astropecten imbellis Sladen, 1883
- Astropecten indicus Doderlein, 1888
- Astropecten inutilis Koehler, 1910
- Astropecten irregularis (Pennant, 1777)
- Astropecten jarli Madsen, 1950
- Astropecten javanicus Lutken, 1871
- Astropecten jonstoni (Delle Chiaje, 1827)
- Astropecten kagoshimensis de Loriol, 1899
- Astropecten latespinosus Meissner, 1892
- Astropecten leptus H.L. Clark, 1926
- Astropecten liberiensis Koehler, 1914
- Astropecten luzonicus Fisher, 1913
- Astropecten malayanus Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten mamillatus Koehler, 1914
- Astropecten marginatus Gray, 1840
- Astropecten mauritianus Gray, 1840
- Astropecten michaelseni Koehler, 1914
- Astropecten minadensis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten monacanthus Sladen, 1883
- Astropecten nitidus Verrill, 1915
- Astropecten novaeguineae Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten nuttingi Verrill, 1915
- Astropecten orientalis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten ornatissimus Fisher, 1906
- Astropecten orsinii Leipoldt, 1895
- Astropecten pedicellaris Fisher, 1913
- Astropecten petalodea Retzius, 1805
- Astropecten platyacanthus (Philippi, 1837)
- Astropecten polyacanthus Müller & Troschel, 1842
- Astropecten preissi Müller & Troschel, 1843
- Astropecten primigenius Mortensen, 1925
- Astropecten productus Fisher, 1906
- Astropecten progressor Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten pugnax Koehler, 1910
- Astropecten pulcherrimus H.L. Clark, 1938
- Astropecten pusillulus Fisher, 1906
- Astropecten pusillus Sluiter, 1889
- Astropecten regalis Gray, 1840
- Astropecten sanctaehelenae Mortensen, 1933
- Astropecten sarasinorum Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten scoparius Müller & Troschel, 1842
- Astropecten siderialis Verrill, 1914
- Astropecten sinicus Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten spiniphorus Madsen, 1950
- Astropecten spinulosus (Philippi, 1837)
- Astropecten sulcatus Ludwig, 1905
- Astropecten sumbawanus Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten tamilicus Doderlein, 1888
- Astropecten tasmanicus H.ES Clark & DG McKnight, 2000
- Astropecten tenellus Fisher, 1913
- Astropecten tenuis (Bell, 1894)
- Astropecten timorensis Doderlein, 1917
- Astropecten triacanthus (Goto, 1914)
- Astropecten triseriatus Müller & Troschel, 1843
- Astropecten umbrinus pit, 1866
- Astropecten validispinosus Oguro, 1982
- Astropecten vappa Müller & Troschel, 1843
- Astropecten variegatus Mortensen, 1933
- Astropecten velitaris from Martens, 1865
- Astropecten verrilli deLoriol, 1899
literature
- Carlos Renato R. Ventura: Astropecten . In: John M. Lawrence (Ed.): Starfish - Biology and Ecology of the Asteroidea . Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore 2013. pp. 101-108.
- Réné Koehler (1921): Faune de France. Echinodermes .
- Enrico Tortonese (1965): Fauna d'Italia. Echinodermata .
- Roberto Pillon (2009): Astropecten of the Mediterranean Sea .
- Comb Starfish (Astropecten) . Lexicon of Biology. Spectrum Academic Publishing House, Heidelberg 1999.
Web links
- Comb stars in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
- Dr. Patrick Steinmann, Stein am Rhein: Kammseesterne (genus Astropecten)
- CL Mah (2015): Astropecten. World Asteroidea database, World Register of Marine Species