Asterodiscididae
Family of starfish with five short tapering arms and wide disc.
Asterodiscididae is a family of starfish. Its members are characterized by five short, tapering arms and a broad central disc. This family was originally identified by Australian zoologist F.W.E. Rowe in 1977. The family includes the genera *Amphiaster*, *Asterodiscides*, *Paulia*, *Pauliastra*, *Uokeaster*, and the fossil genus *Kionaster*.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Asterodiscididae
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The family Asterodiscididae was first described by the Australian zoologist F.W.E. Rowe in 1977. Members of the family have five short tapering arms and a wide disc. The following genera are listed in the World Register of Marine Species: genus Amphiaster Verrill, 1868; genus Asterodiscides A. M. Clark, 1974; fossil genus Kionaster Blake & Portell, 2011; genus Paulia Gray, 1840; genus Pauliastra Mah, 2021; and genus Uokeaster Mah, 2021. The genus Asterodiscides contains the majority of species, including Asterodiscides belli from Somalia, Asterodiscides bicornutus from the Philippines, and Asterodiscides conulus from Ashmore Reef, Western Australia. The family includes both extant and fossil genera, with the fossil genus Kionaster and its single species Kionaster petersonae described by Blake & Portell in 2011.
Reader's Guide
The significance of Asterodiscididae lies in its formal recognition as a distinct family of starfish, first described by the Australian zoologist F.W.E. Rowe in 1977. The family is characterized by five short tapering arms and a wide disc, a morphological feature that distinguishes its members. The World Register of Marine Species lists six genera within the family: Amphiaster, Asterodiscides, Kionaster (fossil), Paulia, Pauliastra, and Uokeaster. The genus Asterodiscides is the most speciose, with 19 extant species distributed across the Indo-Pacific, including regions such as Somalia, the Philippines, Madagascar, Western Australia, Japan, Hawaii, and New Zealand. The fossil genus Kionaster, described by Blake & Portell in 2011, adds a paleontological dimension to the family. The family's legacy is rooted in the taxonomic work of Rowe and subsequent researchers, providing a framework for understanding the diversity and distribution of these starfish. The inclusion of fossil taxa highlights the family's evolutionary history.
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