Puneet Varma (Editor)

Forcipulatida

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Kingdom
  
Superorder
  
Forcipulatacea

Higher classification
  
Forcipulatacea

Phylum
  
Scientific name
  
Forcipulatida

Rank
  
Order

Forcipulatida Order Forcipulatida Flickr

Lower classifications
  
Asteriidae, Asterias, Pisaster, Pycnopodia

The Forcipulatida are an order of sea stars, containing three families and 49 genera.

Contents

Description

Forcipulatida Pisaster giganteus also known giant sea star OrderForcipulatida

Forcipulatids share with the brisingid sea stars distinctive pedicellariae, consisting of a short stalk with three skeletal ossicles. Unlike that group, however, the forcipulatids tend to have more robust bodies. The order includes some well-known species, such as the common starfish, Asterias rubens.

Phylogeny

The order is divided into three families:

  • Family Asteriidae — 39 genera
  • Family Heliasteridae — two genera
  • Family Zoroasteridae — eight genera

  • World Register of Marine Species gives another taxonomy:

  • Family Asteriidae Gray, 1840
  • Family Heliasteridae Viguier, 1878
  • Family Pedicellasteridae Perrier, 1884
  • Family Pycnopodiidae Fisher, 1928
  • Family Stichasteridae
  • Family Zoroasteridae Sladen, 1889

  • Forcipulatida Asterias forbesi also known Forbes sea star OrderForcipulatida

    Forcipulatida httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

    Forcipulatida Forcipulatida Wikipdia

    Forcipulatida Taxonomy

    References

    Forcipulatida Wikipedia