The Oreasteridae are a family 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 in the class

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

Description and characteristics

This family contains many species of regular starfishes with usually 5 arms around a stiff, convex and often brightly colored body. Whereas some species are very easy to identify, like the "pincushion seastars" ('' Culcita sp.''), some other can be difficult to tell apart.

Selected genera

: List source : * genus '' Acheronaster'' H.E.S. Clark, 1982 -- 1 species * genus '' Anthaster'' Döderlein, 1915 -- 1 species * genus '' Anthenea'' Gray, 1840 -- 22 species * genus '' Astrosarkus'' Mah, 2003 -- 1 species * genus ''

Bothriaster ''Bothriaster primigenius'' is a species of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae. It is the sole species in the genus ''Bothriaster''. It is suspected to be only the juvenile stage of some large Oreasteridae such as ''Choriaster granulatus '' ...

'' Döderlein, 1916 -- 1 speciesProbably just the juvenile form of ''

Choriaster ''Choriaster'' is Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus in the family Oreasteridae containing the single species ''Choriaster granulatus'' commonly known as the granulated sea star. Other common names include big-plated sea star, Hunter-five Seastar ...

''. * genus ''

'' Lutken, 1869 -- 1 species * genus '' Culcita'' Agassiz, 1836 -- 3 species * genus ''

Goniodiscaster ''Goniodiscaster'' is a genus of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae. Members of this genus can be found off the coasts of India, southeast Asia, and Australia. Other taxa commonly misidentified as this genus include ''Anthenea'', Tosia (echinod ...

'' H.L. Clark, 1909 -- 14 species * genus '' Gymnanthenea'' H.L. Clark, 1938 -- 2 species * genus '' Halityle'' Fisher, 1913 -- 1 species * genus '' Monachaster'' Döderlein, 1916 -- 1 species * genus '' Nectriaster'' H.L. Clark, 1946 -- 1 species * genus '' Nidorellia'' Gray, 1840 -- 1 species * genus '' Oreaster'' Müller & Troschel, 1842 -- 2 species * genus ''

Pentaceraster ''Pentaceraster'' is a genus of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae. Members of this genus are most often observed in warm coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Selected species List of species according to the World Register of Mari ...

'' Döderlein, 1916 -- 14 species * genus '' Pentaster'' Döderlein, 1935 -- 2 species * genus '' Poraster'' Döderlein, 1916 -- 1 species * genus '' Protoreaster'' Döderlein, 1916 -- 3 species * genus ''

Pseudanthenea ''Pseudanthenea grayi '' is a species of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae The Oreasteridae are a family of sea stars in the class Starfish, Asteroidea. Description and characteristics This family contains many species of regular starfis ...

'' Döderlein, 1915 -- 1 species * genus ''

Pseudoreaster ''Pseudoreaster obtusangulus'' is a species of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae The Oreasteridae are a family of sea stars in the class Starfish, Asteroidea. Description and characteristics This family contains many species of regular s ...

'' Verrill, 1899 -- 1 species Image:Anthaster valvulatus P1192613.JPG, ''

Anthaster valvulatus ''Anthaster valvulatus'' is a species of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae The Oreasteridae are a family of sea stars in the class Starfish, Asteroidea. Description and characteristics This family contains many species of regular starfis ...

'' Image:Cake sea star (Anthenea aspera) 2.jpg, ''

Anthenea aspera ''Anthenea'' is a genus of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae The Oreasteridae are a family of sea stars in the class Starfish, Asteroidea. Description and characteristics This family contains many species of regular starfishes with usual ...

'' Image:Astrosarkus idipi.jpg, ''

Astrosarkus idipi ''Astrosarkus idipi'' is a species of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae. It is the sole species in the genus ''Astrosarkus''. It is sometimes referred to as a Pumpkin sea star. Description and characteristics It is a big sea star with a su ...

'' (dried,

MNHN The French National Museum of Natural History ( ; abbr. MNHN) is the national natural history museum of France and a of higher education part of Sorbonne University. The main museum, with four galleries, is located in Paris, France, within the ...

) Image:Oreasteridae - Choriaster granulatus.jpg, ''

Choriaster granulatus ''Choriaster'' is Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus in the family Oreasteridae containing the single species ''Choriaster granulatus'' commonly known as the granulated sea star. Other common names include big-plated sea star, Hunter-five Seastar ...

'' Image:CulcitanovguineaeJI1.jpg, ''

Culcita novaeguineae ''Culcita novaeguineae'' (common name, cushion star) is a species of starfish. It has short arms and an inflated appearance and resembles a pentagonal pincushion. It is variable in colour and can be found in tropical warm waters in the Indo-Pacif ...

'' Image:Biscuit sea star (Goniodiscaster scaber) 3.jpg, ''

Goniodiscaster scabra ''Goniodiscaster'' is a genus of sea stars in the family Oreasteridae. Members of this genus can be found off the coasts of India, southeast Asia, and Australia. Other taxa commonly misidentified as this genus include '' Anthenea'', ''Tosia'', a ...

'' Image:Spiny sea star (Gymnanthenea laevis).jpg, ''

Gymnanthenea laevis ''Gymnanthenea'' 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, ...

'' Image:Halityle regularis.jpg, '' Halityle regularis'' Image:Monachaster sanderi.jpg, '' Monachaster sanderi'' Image:BIOL. RESULTS ENDEAVOUR, Vol. IV, part I. Plate X Nectriaster monacanthus.jpg, '' Nectriaster monacanthus'' Image:Chocolate Chip Starfish.jpg, '' Nidorellia armata'' Image:Oreaster reticulatus (reticulated starfish) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 2.jpg, ''

Oreaster reticulatus ''Oreaster reticulatus'', commonly known as the red cushion sea star or the West Indian sea star, is a species of marine invertebrate, a starfish in the family Oreasteridae. It is found in shallow water in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Cari ...

'' Image:Star Attraction.jpg, ''

Pentaceraster cumingi ''Pentaceraster cumingi'', sometimes known as the Panamic cushion star, Cortez starfish or knobby star (a name also used for other species), is a species of starfish in the family Oreasteridae. It is found in warmer parts of the East Pacific (Gul ...

'' Image:Pentaster obtusatus.jpg, '' Pentaster obtusatus'' Image:Protoreaster nodosus.jpg, ''

Protoreaster nodosus ''Protoreaster nodosus'', commonly known as the horned sea star or chocolate chip sea star, is a species of sea star found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region. They are sometimes seen in the marine aquarium trade or dried and ...

'' Image:Plate 6 (Clark, 1938).jpg, '' Pseudoreaster obtusangulus''

References

External links

* . Echinoderm families {{Asteroidea-stub