The Ophidiasteridae (Greek ''ophidia'', Οφιδια, "of snakes", diminutive form) are a

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 ...

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 with about 30

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

. Occurring both in the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

and

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

Oceans, ophidiasterids are greatest in diversity in the Indo-Pacific. Many of the genera in this family exhibit brilliant colors and patterns, which sometimes can be attributed to

aposematism Aposematism is the Advertising in biology, advertising by an animal, whether terrestrial or marine, to potential predation, predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defenses which make the pr ...

and

crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be part of a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean life ...

to protect themselves from predators. Some ophidiasterids possess remarkable powers of regeneration, enabling them to either reproduce asexually or to survive serious damage made by predators or forces of nature (an example for this is the genus '' Linckia''). Some species belonging to ''Linckia'', ''Ophidiaster'' See last paragraph in review above Analysis and ''Phataria'' shed single arms that regenerate the disc and the remaining rays to form a complete individual. Some of these also reproduce asexually by

parthenogenesis Parthenogenesis (; from the Greek + ) is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which the embryo develops directly from an egg without need for fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means the development of an embryo from an unfertiliz ...

. The name of the family is taken from the genus ''Ophidiaster'', whose limbs are slender, semitubular and serpentine.

Systematics

These genera are accepted in the World Register of Marine Species:Ophidiasteridae
World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2011-10-17. * ''

Andora Andora () or Marina di Andora is a town on the Italian Riviera in the region of Liguria, included in the province of Savona. Geography and climate Andora is situated in the western part of the Italian Riviera between Capo Mele in the east and ...

'' A.M. Clark, 1967 -- 4 species * '' Bunaster'' Döderlein, 1896 -- 4 species * '' Certonardoa'' H.L. Clark, 1921 -- 1 species * '' Cistina'' Gray, 1840 -- 1 species * '' Copidaster'' A.H. Clark, 1948 -- 3 species * '' Dactylosaster'' Gray, 1840 -- 1 species * '' Devania'' Marsh, 1974 -- 1 species * '' Dissogenes'' Fisher, 1913 -- 2 species * '' Drachmaster'' Downey, 1970 -- 1 species * '' Gomophia'' Gray, 1840 -- 4 species * '' Hacelia'' Gray, 1840 -- 5 species * '' Heteronardoa'' Hayashi, 1973 -- 2 species * '' Leiaster'' Peters, 1852 -- 5 species * '' Linckia'' Nardo, 1834 -- 9 species * '' Narcissia'' Gray, 1840 -- 4 species * '' Nardoa'' Gray, 1840 -- 9 species * '' Oneria'' Rowe, 1981 -- 1 species * '' Ophidiaster'' L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 24 species * '' Pharia'' Gray, 1840 -- 1 species * '' Phataria'' Gray, 1840 -- 2 species * '' Plenardoa'' H.L. Clark, 1921 -- 1 species * '' Pseudophidiaster'' H.L. Clark, 1916 -- 1 species * '' Tamaria'' Gray, 1840 -- 18 species ; Fossil genera: * †'' Chariaster'' * †'' Sladenia'' Image:Celerina heffernani, Papua New Guinea, 12-0038.jpg, '' Fromia heffernani'' Image:Certonardoa semiregularis ja01.jpg, '' Certonardoa semiregularis'' Image:Dactylosaster cylindricus.jpg, '' Dactylosaster cylindricus'' Image:Egyptian sea star.JPG, '' Gomophia egyptiaca'' Image:Hacelia attenuata.jpg, '' Hacelia attenuata'' Image:Leiaster speciosus.JPG, '' Leiaster speciosus'' Image:BlueSeaStar 2.jpg, ''

Linckia laevigata ''Linckia laevigata'' (sometimes called the "blue ''Linckia''" or blue star) is a species of sea star in the shallow waters of tropical Indo-Pacific. Description and characteristics The variation ("polymorphism", in this case, a "color morph" ...

'' Image:Nardoa novaecaledoniae.jpg, '' Nardoa novaecaledoniae'' Image:Capo Gallo Ophidiaster ophidianus.jpg, '' Ophidiaster ophidianus'' Image:Phataria unifascialis.jpg, '' Phataria unifascialis'' Image:Tamaria halperni.jpg, '' Tamaria halperni''

References

External links

Classification of the Extant Echinodermata
Valvatida Aposematic animals Echinoderm families {{Asteroidea-stub