Family Astropectinidae Gray, 1840

Of the Astropectinidae, only the genus Astropecten is currently known from the Persian Gulf. Five species have been recorded from this region, of which four are represented in the current study. Astropecten polyacanthus is represented by two subspecies: A. polycanthus polyacanthus, Müller & Troschel, 1842 and A. polyacanthus phragmorus Fisher, 1913 . All appear to be relatively common in soft substrates throughout the northern Persian Gulf, although some are relatively localised.