Astropecten
Astropecten is a genus of sea stars of the family Astropectinidae.
Identification
Image:Astropecten irregularis pentacanthus Sardegna09 18cm 5038 dett.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Ossicles of an Astropecten irregularis
Image:Astropecten jonstoni Naxos08 1967 640x480 dpi90 dett.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Ossicles of an Astropecten jonstoni
Image:Astropecten platyacanthus Sardegna09 dett2.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|Flat ossicles of an Astropecten platyacanthus
These sea stars are similar one to each other and it can be difficult to determine with certainty the species only from a photograph. To have a certain determination, in some cases, animals should be analyzed in the laboratory or using genetic testing, but often it isn’t possible. In order to determine the species, with a reasonable margin of error, it’s necessary to observe the appearance of the animal, in particular, based on some typical features described by principal authors that have analyzed over the years a large number of specimens in the laboratory.
The main elements, to determine the various species from photo, are: the appearance of the dorsal marginal plates and spines, the size, the shape of disc and arms. For a good identification by sea photo it is important to take a complete picture of all the subject, a picture of the detail of the marginal plates and to measure as precisely as possible the diameter of the sea star. All this can be done without touching, turning it, or disturbing the animal.
Starfishes have two sides: an upper side called “aboral side”, and a bottom side called “oral side”.
Species
Astropecten acanthifer Sladen, 1883Astropecten acutiradiatus Tortonese, 1956Astropecten africanus Koehler, 1911Astropecten alatus Perrier, 1875Astropecten alligator Perrier, 1881Astropecten americanus Verrill, 1880Astropecten anacanthus H.L. Clark, 1926Astropecten andersoni Sladen, 1888Astropecten antillensis Lütken, 1859Astropecten aranciacus Astropecten armatus Gray, 1840Astropecten articulatus Astropecten bandanus Doderlein, 1917Astropecten bengalensis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten benthophilus Ludwig, 1905Astropecten bispinosus Astropecten brasiliensis Müller & Troschel, 1842Astropecten brevispinus Sladen, 1883Astropecten carcharicus Doderlein, 1917Astropecten caribemexicanensis Caso, 1990Astropecten celebensis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten cingulatus Sladen, 1833Astropecten comptus Verrill, 1915Astropecten debilis Koehler, 1910Astropecten dubiosus Mortensen, 1925Astropecten duplicatus Gray, 1840Astropecten eremicus Fisher, 1913Astropecten eucnemis Fisher, 1919Astropecten euryacanthus Lutken, 1871Astropecten exiguus Ludwig, 1905Astropecten exilis Mortensen, 1933Astropecten fasciatus Doderlein, 1926Astropecten formosus Sladen, 1878Astropecten fragilis Verrill, 1870Astropecten gisselbrechti Doderlein, 1917Astropecten granulatus Müller & Troschel, 1842Astropecten griegi Koehler, 1909Astropecten gruveli Koehler, 1911Astropecten guineensis Koehler, 1911Astropecten hawaiiensis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten hemprichi Müller & Troschel, 1842Astropecten hermatophilus Sladen, 1883Astropecten huepferi Koehler, 1914Astropecten ibericus Perrier, 1894Astropecten imbellis Sladen, 1883Astropecten indicus Doderlein, 1888Astropecten inutilis Koehler, 1910Astropecten irregularis Astropecten jarli Madsen, 1950Astropecten javanicus Lutken, 1871Astropecten jonstoni Astropecten kagoshimensis de Loriol, 1899Astropecten latespinosus Meissner, 1892Astropecten leptus H.L. Clark, 1926Astropecten liberiensis Koehler, 1914Astropecten luzonicus Fisher, 1913Astropecten malayanus Doderlein, 1917Astropecten mamillatus Koehler, 1914Astropecten marginatus Gray, 1840Astropecten mauritianus Gray, 1840Astropecten michaelseni Koehler, 1914Astropecten minadensis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten monacanthus Sladen, 1883Astropecten nitidus Verrill, 1915Astropecten novaeguineae Doderlein, 1917Astropecten nuttingi Verrill, 1915Astropecten orientalis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten ornatissimus Fisher, 1906Astropecten orsinii Leipoldt, 1895Astropecten pedicellaris Fisher, 1913Astropecten petalodea Retzius, 1805Astropecten platyacanthus Astropecten polyacanthus Müller & Troschel, 1842Astropecten preissi Müller & Troschel, 1843Astropecten primigenius Mortensen, 1925Astropecten productus Fisher, 1906Astropecten progressor Doderlein, 1917Astropecten pugnax Koehler, 1910Astropecten pulcherrimus H.L. Clark, 1938Astropecten pusillulus Fisher, 1906Astropecten pusillus Sluiter, 1889Astropecten regalis Gray, 1840Astropecten sanctaehelenae Mortensen, 1933Astropecten sarasinorum Doderlein, 1917Astropecten scoparius Müller & Troschel, 1842Astropecten siderialis Verrill, 1914Astropecten sinicus Doderlein, 1917Astropecten spiniphorus Madsen, 1950Astropecten spinulosus Astropecten sulcatus Ludwig, 1905Astropecten sumbawanus Doderlein, 1917Astropecten tamilicus Doderlein, 1888Astropecten tasmanicus H.E.S Clark & D.G. McKnight, 2000Astropecten tenellus Fisher, 1913Astropecten tenuis Astropecten timorensis Doderlein, 1917Astropecten triacanthus Astropecten triseriatus Müller & Troschel, 1843Astropecten umbrinus Grube, 1866Astropecten validispinosus Oguro, 1982Astropecten vappa Müller & Troschel, 1843Astropecten variegatus Mortensen, 1933Astropecten velitaris von Martens, 1865Astropecten verrilli deLoriol, 1899
Six species of Astropecten currently live in the Mediterranean Sea: