''Astropecten'' is a genus of

sea star Starfish or sea stars are Star polygon, star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class (biology), class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to brittle star, ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to ...

s of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Astropectinidae The Astropectinidae are a family of sea stars in the order Paxillosida. Usually, these starfish live on the seabed and immerse themselves in soft sediment such as sand and mud. They are not to be confused with species in the genus '' Archaster' ...

Identification

These sea stars are similar one to each other and it can be difficult to determine with certainty the species only from a photograph. To have a certain determination, in some cases, animals should be analyzed in the laboratory or using

genetic testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...

, but often it isn’t possible. In order to determine the species, with a reasonable margin of error, it’s necessary to observe the appearance of the animal, in particular, based on some typical features described by principal authors that have analyzed over the years a large number of specimens in the laboratory. The main elements, to determine the various species from photo, are: the appearance of the dorsal marginal plates and spines, the size, the shape of disc and arms. For a good identification by sea photo it is important to take a complete picture of all the subject, a picture of the detail of the marginal plates and to measure as precisely as possible the diameter of the sea star. All this can be done without touching, turning it, or disturbing the animal. Starfishes have two sides: an upper side called “ aboral side” (which is normally visible), and a bottom side called “oral side” (which rests on the seabed). The main elements of starfish genus Astropecten.jpg, General look of an ''Astropecten'' Britannica Echinoderma 16 tagged.png, Cross-section of an arm. 1=papula and paxilla, 2=superomarginal plate, 3=inferomarginal plate, 4=ambulacral plates, 5=adambulacral plate Astropecten aranciacus Naxos08 1775 dett.jpg, Ossicles of an '' Astropecten aranciacus'' Astropecten aranciacus.jpg, Armtip of an '' Astropecten aranciacus''

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 ''Astropecten platyacanthus'' is a sea star of the family Astropectinidae. Habitat and behaviour Starfishes of genus ''Astropecten'' live on mobile seabed (sandy, muddy or gravel seabed) and they remain largely buried under sediment during the d ...

'' (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.E.S Clark & D.G. 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'' Grube, 1866 * '' Astropecten validispinosus'' Oguro, 1982 * '' Astropecten vappa'' Müller & Troschel, 1843 * '' Astropecten variegatus'' Mortensen, 1933 * '' Astropecten velitaris'' von Martens, 1865 * '' Astropecten verrilli'' deLoriol, 1899 Astropecten aranciacus Sardegna09 28cm 5520.jpg, '' Astropecten aranciacus'' Astropectenarmatus.jpg, '' Astropecten armatus'' Purple and Orange Starfish on the Beach (2884079538).jpg, '' Astropecten articulatus'' Astropecten bispinosus Sardegna06 3284.jpg, '' Astropecten bispinosus'' Astropecten irregularis pentacanthus Sardegna09 17cm 5962.jpg, '' Astropecten irregularis'' Astropecten jonstoni Naxos08 1832 640x480 dpi90.jpg, '' Astropecten jonstoni'' Astropecten platyacanthus Sardegna09 e cm09 5503.jpg, ''

'' Astropecten polycanthus (Starfish).jpg, '' Astropecten polycanthus'' Astropecten preissei PC260142.JPG, '' Astropecten preissei'' Astropecten spinulosus Croazia09 a 6957.jpg, '' Astropecten spinulosus'' Astropecten lorioli.jpg, '' Astropecten lorioli'' (extinct, from the

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 143.1 Mya. ...

)

Mediterranean species

Six species of Astropecten currently live in the Mediterranean Sea: *'' Astropecten aranciacus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) *'' Astropecten bispinosus'' (Otto, 1823) *'' Astropecten irregularis'' (Pennant, 1777) *'' Astropecten jonstoni'' (Delle Chiaje, 1825) *''

'' (Philippi, 1837) *'' Astropecten spinulosus'' (Philippi, 1837)

References

Roberto Pillon (2009). Astropecten of the Mediterranean Sea
* Koehler, Réné. 1921. ''Faune de France. Echinodermes''. * Tortonese, Enrico. 1965. ''Fauna d'Italia. Echinodermata''. * Tortonese, Enrico. 1934. ''Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale Giacomo Doria (Volume 57)''. * Emil Edler Von Marenzeller (1875). ''Revision adriatischer Seesterne''. * Ludwig, Hubert. 1897. ''Die Seesterne des Mittelmeeres. Zoologischen station zu Neapel''. * Ludwig Heinrich Philipp Döderlein. 1921. ''Die Asteriden der Siboga-Expedition''. *

External links

Downloadable WoRMS: Roberto Pillon (2009). Astropecten of the Mediterranean Sea

Downloadable WoRMS: Roberto Pillon (2009). Orientarsi in un mare di stelle

WoRMS

Jaselli, Luca. “REDESCRIPTION AND FIRST ILLUSTRATION OF THE HOLOTYPE OF ASTROPECTEN MONTALIONIS (MENEGHINI, 1852) [PAXILLOSIDA: ASTROPECTINIDAE
” Atti della Societa Toscana di Scienze Naturali (2018)] {{Taxonbar, from=Q665985 Astropectinidae Astropecten, Asteroidea genera Taxa named by John Edward Gray