Henricia

Lore & Background

Henricia is a genus of sea stars in the family Echinasteridae. The genus contains about fifty species according to one source, though the World Register of Marine Species lists 99 species. These sea stars are ciliary suspension-feeders, meaning they filter phytoplankton from the water. The genus is noted for its slender arms.

Reader's Guide

The genus Henricia is significant as a large group of slender-armed sea stars within the family Echinasteridae. Its members are ciliary suspension-feeders that filter phytoplankton, a feeding strategy that distinguishes them from many other starfish. The number of species is given as about fifty in one statement, but the World Register of Marine Species records 99 species, indicating some taxonomic uncertainty. The genus has been studied in works such as Clark & Downey's 'Starfishes of the Atlantic' and Djakonov's survey of species from the northwestern Pacific. Its legacy includes ongoing taxonomic revision, as seen in the description of a new brooding species, Henricia pumila, in 2010.

Did You Know?

• Henricia belongs to the family Echinasteridae.
• It contains about fifty species, though WoRMS lists 99.
• A brooding species, Henricia pumila, was described in a 2010 Zootaxa article.