OPHIDIASTERIDAE AND

Mah, Christopher & Foltz, David, 2011, Molecular phylogeny of the Valvatacea (Asteroidea: Echinodermata), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (4), pp. 769-788 : 779

THE OPHIDIASTERIDAE AND MITHRODIIDAE

The sister group relationship between several ophidiasterids and the Mithrodiidae , as supported by Blake (1987), is confirmed by our data. The nonmonophyly of the Ophidiasteridae is consistent with morphological breaks in identification keys and classifications (e.g. H.L. Clark, 1946) that separate the goniasteridlike ophidiasterids (e.g. Fromia ) from those with more cylindrical arms and small disks (e.g. Linckia ).

No unambiguous ophidiasterid fossils exist that are comparable in morphology to those sampled for our tree. Identified ophidiasterid fossils demonstrate closer affinities with ‘goniasterid-like’ ophidiasterids (e.g. Blake & Reid, 1998) rather than those with small disks and long arms (e.g. Linckia ). Further associations between molecular data and fossil occurrence will await additional clarification of ophidiasterid fossils.