Solaster Forbes 1839
- Dataset
- New Genera, Species, and observations on the biology of Antarctic Valvatida (Asteroidea)
- Rank
- GENUS
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Echinodermata
- class
- Asteroidea
- order
- Valvatida
- family
- Solasteridae
- genus
- Solaster
diagnosis
Diagnosis Arms 7 to 17. Abactinal skeleton composed of close-set cruciform or rounded plates (paxillae also referred to as pseudopaxillae) with non-penicillate spinelets. Papular pores single. Marginal plates paxillate in some species, disproportionately sized small superomarginals similar in stature to abactinal paxillae, inferomarginals, prominent, 3 × – 4 × larger than abactinal paxillae, evenly spaced along arm length. Actinal plates spinose with multifid tips. Subambulacral spines forming distinct transverse fans. Furrow spines palmate, unwebbed.
discussion
Comments A review of Solaster species from Stampanato & Jangoux (1993) with other species from outside the Antarctic region (e. g., Clark & Downey 1992), reveals that morphological boundaries for several species, especially those from deep-water habitats, are unclear with named species from disjunct and distant settings similar enough as to appear identical, earlier exemplified by the synonymy of Solaster dianae Stampanato & Jangoux 1993 with Solaster notophrynus Downey 1971 which occurs in tropical Atlantic deep-sea settings. Specimens of Solaster regularis subarcuatus Sladen, 1889, from the Ross Sea and adjacent regions are nearly identical with the deep-sea North Atlantic Solaster abyssicola Verrill 1885.
Name
- Homonyms
- Solaster Forbes 1839
- Solaster Forbes 1839