The Valvatida are an order of starfish in the class Asteroidea, which contains 695 species in 172 Genus in 17 families.
Description
The order encompasses both tiny species, which are only a few
in diameter, like those in the
genus Asterina, and species which can reach up to 75 cm, such as species in the genus
Thromidia. Almost all species in this order have five arms with
tube feet. This order is primarily identified by the presence of conspicuous marginal ossicles, which characterize most of the species. Most members of this order have five arms and two rows of tube feet with suckers. Some species have paxillae and in some, the main
are clamp-like and recessed into the skeletal plates.
This group includes the cushion star,
and the
leather star.
Families
According to the World Register of Marine Species, the following families are included in Valvatida:
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family Acanthasteridae Paul Gervais, 1841
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family Archasteridae Viguier, 1878
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family Asterinidae Gray, 1840
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family Asterodiscididae Rowe, 1977
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family Asteropseidae Hotchkiss & Clark, 1976
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family Chaetasteridae Sladen, 1889
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family Ganeriidae Sladen, 1889
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family Goniasteridae Forbes, 1841
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family Leilasteridae Jangoux & Aziz, 1988
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family Mithrodiidae Viguier, 1878
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family Odontasteridae Verrill, 1899
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family Ophidiasteridae Verrill, 1870
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family Oreasteridae Fisher, 1911
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family Podosphaerasteridae Fujita & Rowe, 2002
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family Poraniidae Perrier, 1875
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family Solasteridae Viguier, 1878
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family Sphaerasteridae Schöndorf, 1906 †
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family Stauranderasteridae Spencer, 1914 †
Image:Crown of Thorns-jonhanson.jpg| Acanthaster planci, an Acanthasteridae
Image:Bantayan starfish.JPG| Archaster typicus, an Archasteridae
Image:Bat Star (Asterina miniata)002.jpg| Asterina miniata, an Asterinidae
Image:Firebrick Starfish (Asterodiscides truncatus).jpg| Asterodiscides truncatus, an Asterodiscididae
Image:Leather star fish.jpg| Dermasterias imbricata, an Asteropseidae
Image:Chaetaster longipes.jpg| Chaetaster longipes, a Chaetasteridae
Image:Pentagonaster dubeni 1.jpg| Pentagonaster dubeni, a Goniasteridae
Image:Leilaster radians 2.jpg| Leilaster radians, a Leilasteridae
Image:Mithrodia clavigera FLMNH.jpg| Mithrodia clavigera, a Mithrodiidae
Image:Odontaster penicillatus MNHN.jpg| Odontaster penicillatus, an Odontasteridae
Image:BlueSeaStar 2.jpg| Linckia laevigata, an Ophidiasteridae
Image:Starfish in Mombassa.JPG| Protoreaster lincki, an Oreasteridae
Image:Podosphaeraster gustavei.jpg| Podosphaeraster gustavei, a Podosphaerasteridae
Image:Porania pulvillus NOAA.jpg| Porania pulvillus, a Poraniidae
Image:Solaster stimpsoni.jpg| Solaster stimpsoni, a Solasteridae
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Burchett M, Dando M, Waller G; SeaLife: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment; Smithsonian Institution Press, USA; , 1996.
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