Echinoderms Of Alaska And The Aleutian Islands

Solaster dawsoni Verrill, 1880 Morning Sun Star Lophaster vexator Fisher, 1910 Crested Star Solaster species A

    Alaska and the Aleutian Island Chain is the richest region in the world for Sea Stars with well over one hundred named species in 45+ genera with at least another 25 recently discovered species presently under description. A sampling of this rich and amazingly colorful fauna is presented herein. All digital photographs by Roger N. Clark. Classification based on Lambert, 2000. Common names used herein are those employed by research personnel engaged in NOAA/NMFS resource assesment surveys.

Order Paxillosida

Dipsacaster borealis Fisher, 1910 Northern Sand Star

Family: Astropectinidae

 

Genus Dipsacaster

Dipsacaster anoplus Fisher, 1910
Dipsacaster borealis Fisher, 1910
   
Genus Leptychaster Leptychaster anomalus Fisher, 1910
Leptychaster arcticus (Sars, 1851)
Leptychaster pacificus Fisher, 1906
Leptychaster propinquus Fisher, 1910
Family: Luidiidae  
Genus Luidia Luidia foliolata Grube, 1866

Order Notomyotida

Ctenodiscus crispatus (Retzius, 1805) Mud Star
Family: Ctenodiscidae  
Genus Ctenodiscus Ctenodiscus crispatus (Retzius, 1805)

Order Notomyhotida

Cheiraster dawsoni (Verrill, 1880) Fragile Star

Family: Benthopectinidae

 
Genus Cheiraster Cheiraster dawsoni (Verrill, 1880)
   

Genus Nearchaster

Nearchaster variabilis (Fisher, 1910)

Order Valvatida

Cryptopeltaster lepidonotus fisher, 1905
Family: Ganeriidae  
Genus Aleutiaster Aleutiaster schefferi A. Clark, 1939

Family: Poraniidae

 

Genus Poraniopsis

Poraniopsis inflata (Fisher,1906)

Family: Goniasteridae

 

Genus Cryptopelaster

Cryptopeltaster lepidonotus Fisher, 1905
   

Genus Ceramaster

Ceramaster arcticus (Verrill, 1909)
Ceramaster japonicus (Sladen, 1889)
Ceramaster patagonicus (Sladen, 1889)
Ceramaster stellatus D'yakonov, 1950
   

Genus Cladaster

Cladaster validus Fisher, 1910
   

Genus Gephyreaster

Gephyreaster swifti (Fisher, 1905)
   

Genus Hippasteria

Hippasteria armata Fisher, 1910
Hippasteria californica Fisher, 1905
Hippasteria heathi Fisher, 1910
Hippasteria kurilensis Fisher, 1910
Hippasteria spinosa Verrill, 1909
Hippasteria species A
   
Genus Mediaster Mediaster aequalis Stimpson, 1857
Mediaster tenellus Fisher, 1905
   

Genus Pseudarchaster

Pseudarchaster alascensis Fisher, 1905
Pseudarchaster dissonus Fisher, 1910
Pseudarchaster parelii (Duben and Koren, 1844)
Family: Asteropseidae  
Genus Dermasterias Dermasterias imbricata (Grube, 1857)

Order Velatida

Crossaster papposus (Linnaeus, 1767) "Rose Star"
Family: Solasteridae  
Genus Crossaster (1) Crossaster borealis Fisher, 1906
Crossaster papposus (Linnaeus, 1767)
   
Genus Crossaster (2) Crossaster papposus (Linnaeus, 1767) - continued
Crossaster species A
Crossaster species B
   
Genus Heterozonias Heterazonias alternatus (Fisher, 1906)
   

Genus Lophaster

Lophaster furcilliger Fisher, 1905
Lophaster vexator Fisher, 1910
Lophaster species A
Lophaster species B
   
Genus Solaster (1) Solaster dawsoni Verrill, 1880
Solaster endeca (Linné, 1771)
Solaster hypothrissus Fisher, 1910
Solaster stimpsoni Verrill, 1880
Solaster species A
   
Genus Solaster (2) Solaster species B
Solaster species C
Solaster species D
Solaster species E
Solaster species F
Family: Pterasteridae  
Genus Diplopteraster Diplopteraster multipes (Sars, 1865)
   
Genus Pteraster (1) Pteraster cf. gracilis (A. Clark, 1901)
Pteraster jordani Fisher, 1905
Pteraster marsippus Fisher, 1910
Pteraster militaris (Müller, 1776)
Pteraster obscurus (Perrier, 1891)
Pteraster pulvillus (Sars, 1861)
Pteraster temnochiton Fisher, 1910
   
Genus Pteraster (2) Pteraster tesselatus Ives, 1888
Pteraster species A
   
Genus Pteraster (3) Pteraster species B
Pteraster species C
Pteraster species D
Pteraster species E
Family: Korethrasteridae  
Genus Peribolaster Peribolaster biserialis Fisher, 1905

Order Spinulosida

Henricia multispina Fisher, 1910

Family: Echinasteridae

 
Genus Henricia (1) Henricia aleutica Fisher, 1910
Henricia aspera Fisher, 1906
Henricia asthenactis Fisher, 1910
Henricia beringiana Yakovleva, 1952
Henricia cf. clarki Fisher, 1910
Henricia dyscrita Fisher, 1910
Henricia leviscula (Stimpson, 1857)
Henricia longispina Fisher, 1910
Henricia multispina Fisher, 1910
   
Genus Henricia (2) Henricia cf. sanguinolenta (Müller, 1776)
Henricia spiculifera (H. Clark, 1901)
Henricia tumida Verrill, 1909
   
Genus Henricia (3) Henricia species A
Henricia species B
Henricia species C
   

Genus Odontohenricia

Odontohenricia fisheri (Rowe and Albertson, 1988)
Odontohenricia species A
Odontohenricia species C

Order Forcipulatida

Leptasterias polaris acervata (Stimpson,1862) "Polar Six-rayed Star"
Family: Asteriidae  
Genus Evasterias Evasterias echinosoma Fisher, 1926
Evasterias retifera D'yakonov, 1938
Evasterias troschelii (Stimpson, 1862)

 

 
Genus Leptasterias (1) Leptasterias asteira Fisher 1930
Leptasterias alaskensis (Verrill, 1909)
Leptasterias camtschatica dispar (Verrill, 1914)
Leptasterias coei coei Verrill, 1914
Leptasterias coei trunculenta Fisher, 1930
   
Genus Leptasterias (2) Leptasterias leptodoma Fisher, 1930
Leptasterias polaris acervata (Stimpson,1862)
Leptasterias polaris katherinae (Gray, 1840)
Leptasterias stolacantha Fisher, 1930
   
Genus Lethasterias Lethasterias nanimensis (Verrill, 1914)
   
Genus Orthasterias Orthasterias koehleri (De Loriol, 1897)
   
Genus Pisaster Pisaster brevispinus (Stimpson, 1857)
   
Genus Pycnopodia Pycnopodia helianthoides (Brandt, 1835)
   
Genus Stephanasterias Stephanasterias albula (Stimpson, 1853)
   

Genus Stylasterias

Stylasterias forreri (de Loriol, 1887)
Family: Pedicellasteridae  
Genus Ampheraster Ampheraster marianus (Ludwig, 1905)
   
Genus Anteliaster Anteliaster nannodes Fisher, 1928

 

 
Genus Pedicellaster Pedicellaster magister Fisher, 1923
   
Genus Tarsaster Tarsaster alaskanus Fisher, 1928
 

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