''Luidia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of starfish in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution.

Characteristics

Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fringed with spines. Their upper surfaces are covered with paxillae, pillar-like spines with flattened summits covered with minute spinules. The upper marginal plates are replaced by paxillae, but the lower marginal plates are large and covered with paxillae. The

tube feet Tube feet (technically podia) are small active tubular projections on the oral face of an echinoderm, whether the arms of a starfish, or the undersides of sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers; they are more discreet though present on bri ...

do not have suckers, but have two swollen regions. A mouth, oesophagus, and cardiac stomach are seen, but no pyloric stomach or anus is present. The

gonad A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a mixed gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gonad, the testicle, produces ...

s are underneath the sides of each arm. The early

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

l stages of starfish are known as bipinnarial larvae, and members of this genus do not continue their development after this stage into a brachiolar stage before undergoing metamorphosis. However, they are capable of larval

cloning Cloning is the process of producing individual organisms with identical or virtually identical DNA, either by natural or artificial means. In nature, some organisms produce clones through asexual reproduction. In the field of biotechnology, c ...

, with asexual reproduction taking place while they are larvae. This has been shown to take place both in the field and in laboratory cultures and has been studied by molecular analysis of

sequences In mathematics, a sequence is an enumerated collection of objects in which repetitions are allowed and order matters. Like a set, it contains members (also called ''elements'', or ''terms''). The number of elements (possibly infinite) is called ...

of mitochondrial

tRNA Transfer RNA (abbreviated tRNA and formerly referred to as sRNA, for soluble RNA) is an adaptor molecule composed of RNA, typically 76 to 90 nucleotides in length (in eukaryotes), that serves as the physical link between the mRNA and the amino a ...

to identify the

taxa In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...

involved.Identification of Asteroid Genera With Species Capable of Larval Cloning
Retrieved 2011-08-29.

Species

These species are recognised by the World Register of Marine Species: *'' Luidia alternata'' (Say, 1825) – banded sea star *'' Luidia amurensis'' Doderlein, 1920 *'' Luidia armata'' Ludwig, 1905 *'' Luidia asthenosoma'' Fisher, 1906 *'' Luidia atlantidea'' Madsen, 1950 *'' Luidia australiae'' Doderlein, 1920 *'' Luidia avicularia'' Fisher, 1913 *'' Luidia barbadensis'' Perrier, 1881 *'' Luidia bellonae'' Lütken, 1865 *''

Luidia changi ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Liu, Liao & Li, 2006 *'' Luidia ciliaris'' (Philippi, 1837) – seven-armed star *''

Luidia clathrata ''Luidia clathrata'' is a tropical species of starfish in the family Luidiidae. It is variously known as the slender-armed starfish, the gray sea star, or the lined sea star. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Description ''Luidia clath ...

'' (Say, 1825) – slender-armed starfish, gray sea star, lined sea star *''

Luidia columbia ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' (Gray, 1840) *''

Luidia denudata ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Koehler, 1910 *''

Luidia difficilis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Liu, Liao & Li, 2006 *''

Luidia ferruginea ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Ludwig, 1905 *''

Luidia foliolata ''Luidia foliolata'', the sand star, is a species of starfish in the family Luidiidae found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean on sandy and muddy seabeds at depths to about . Description The sand star has a small disc and five long, flattened a ...

'' (Grube, 1866) – spiny mudstar, leafy flat star, sand star *''

Luidia gymnochora ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Fisher, 1913 *''

Luidia hardwicki ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the Family (biology), family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with ...

'' (Gray, 1840) *'' Luidia herdmani'' A.M. Clark, 1953 *''

Luidia heterozona ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Fisher, 1940 *''

Luidia hexactis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' H.L. Clark, 1938 *''

Luidia inarmata ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Doderlein, 1920 *'' Luidia integra'' Koehler, 1910 *''

Luidia latiradiata ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' (Gray, 1871) *''

Luidia lawrencei ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Hopkins & Knott, 2010 *''

Luidia longispina ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Sladen, 1889 *''

Luidia ludwigi ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Fisher, 1906 *''

Luidia maculata ''Luidia maculata'' is a species of starfish in the family Luidiidae in the order Paxillosida. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It is commonly known as the eight-armed sea star because, although the number of arms varies from five to nine ...

'' Müller & Troschel, 1842 *''

Luidia magellanica ''Luidia magellanica'' is a species of starfish in the family Luidiidae. It is found in the southeastern Pacific Ocean on the coast of South America. Distribution and habitat ''Luidia magellanica'' occurs subtidally in the southeastern Pacific ...

'' Leipoldt, 1895 *'' Luidia magnifica'' Fisher, 1906 – magnificent star *''

Luidia mauritiensis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Koehler, 1910 *'' Luidia neozelanica'' Mortensen, 1925 *''

Luidia orientalis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Fisher, 1913 *''

Luidia patriae ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Bernasconi, 1941 *''

Luidia penangensis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' de Loriol, 1891 *''

Luidia phragma ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' H.L. Clark, 1910 *''

Luidia porteri ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' A.H. Clark, 1917 *''

Luidia prionota ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips fr ...

'' Fisher, 1913 *''

Luidia quinaria The spiny sand seastar (''Luidia quinaria'') is a species of starfish in the family Luidiidae. It is found in shallow parts of the China Sea and in the vicinity of the Korean archipelago. The tissues of this starfish have been found to contain ...

'' von Martens, 1865 – spiny sand sea star *''

Luidia sagamina ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Doderlein, 1920 *''

Luidia sarsii ''Luidia sarsii'' is a species of starfish. Sand colored with a velvety texture, the species expresses pentamerism or pentaradial symmetry as adults. The five gently tapering arms have conspicuous bands of long white marginal spines in groups of ...

'' Düben & Koren, 1845 *''

Luidia savignyi ''Luidia savignyi'' is a species of starfish belonging to the family Luidiidae. The species is found in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific region. It is a large starfish and preys on other echinoderms. Description ''Luidia savignyi'' is a ...

'' (Audouin, 1826) *'' Luidia senegalensis'' (Lamark, 1816) – nine-armed sea star *'' Luidia sibogae'' Doderlein, 1920 *''

Luidia superba ''Luidia superba'' is a tropical species of starfish in the family Luidiidae. A single specimen was found off the Pacific coast of Colombia in 1888; the species has since been found in the Galapagos Islands. It is endemic to this area and has n ...

'' A.H. Clark, 1917 – giant sea star *''

Luidia tessellata ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Lutken, 1859 *''

Luidia yesoensis ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

Goto GoTo (goto, GOTO, GO TO or other case combinations, depending on the programming language) is a statement found in many computer programming languages. It performs a one-way transfer of control to another line of code; in contrast a function c ...

, 1914 Gulf Shores, Alabama, 2015 Luidia alternata.jpg, '' Luidia alternata'' Luidia atlantidea (MNHN-IE-2014-622).jpg, '' Luidia atlantidea'' (

MNHN The French National Museum of Natural History, known in French as the ' (abbreviation MNHN), is the national natural history museum of France and a ' of higher education part of Sorbonne Universities. The main museum, with four galleries, is loca ...

) Luidia australiae.jpg, '' Luidia australiae''. Luidia cilliaris 01 Espen Rekdal.jpg, ''

Luidia cilliaris ''Luidia'' is a genus of starfish in the family Luidiidae in which it is the only genus. Species of the family have a cosmopolitan distribution. Characteristics Members of the genus are characterised by having long arms with pointed tips frin ...

'' Luidia clathrata.jpg, ''

''. Luida columbia, dorsal view.jpg, '' Luida columbia''. Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary 2010 Luidia foliolata.jpg, ''

'' Luidia heterozona.jpg, ''

''. Luida latiradiata, dorsal view.jpg, '' Luida latiradiata''. Luidia lawrencei (USNM 6923) 001.jpeg, ''

''. Luidia ludwigi scotti.jpg, ''

''. Eight-armed sand star (Luidia maculata).jpg, ''

''. Luidia magellanica.jpg, ''

'' Luidia_magnifica_mouth.jpg, '' Luidia magnifica'' (oral face). MA I317851 TePapa Luidia-neozelanica-Mortensen full.jpg, '' Luidia neozelanica'' Luidia porteri (USNM 36947) 001.jpeg, ''

''. Luidia quinaria.jpg, ''

'' Luidia sagamina aciculata (11714484256).jpg, ''

'' Luidia sarsi 01 Espen Rekdal.jpg, '' Luidia sarsi''. Luidia savignyi (Audouin, 1826).jpg, ''

''. Nine-armed Sea Star (Luidia senegalensis) (4338628827).jpg, '' Luidia senegalensis'' Luida superba, dorsal view.jpg, ''

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3200764 Asteroidea genera Taxa named by Edward Forbes