Aquilonastra

Yiu, Sam King Fung & Mah, Christopher L., 2024, New Ecological Observations and Occurrence for Asteroidea and Echinoidea in Hong Kong, Zootaxa 5526 (1), pp. 1-69 : 40

Aquilonastra species

FIGURE 29

Comments

Figure 29 shows a presumed Aquilonastra species. Work by O’Loughlin & Waters (2004) and O’Loughlin & Rowe (2006) dismantled the paraphyletic “ Asterina ”, in conjunction with further species discoveries, some 25 species are now assigned to Aquilonastra , which consists primarily of small, variable morphotypes some of which required dissection or very close examination in order to make proper determination. Multiple known species in southern China being reassigned to different genera, including Indianastra and Aquilonastra . Morphotypes from iNaturalist suggest numerous Aquilonastra species but determination will require further sampling and morphological/molecular phylogenetic analysis.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Aquilonastra spp. In situ observation. Photographer: Sam King Fung Yiu.