GONIASTERIDAE FORBES, 1841

Mah, Christopher, Nizinski, Martha & Lundsten, Lonny, 2010, Phylogenetic revision of the Hippasterinae (Goniasteridae; Asteroidea): systematics of deep sea corallivores, including one new genus and three new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 160 (2), pp. 266-301 : 270

FAMILY GONIASTERIDAE FORBES, 1841 SUBFAMILY HIPPASTERINAE VERRILL, 1899

Verrill, 1899: 174; Fisher, 1906: 1165; 1910: 223; Spencer & Wright, 1966: U58

Notes: Our phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of the Hippasterinae as a discrete subgroup within the Goniasteridae . Several characters support hippasterines as members of the Goniasteridae , including a heavily calcified body wall, abactinal plates arranged into discrete primary-radial series and smaller inter-radial, secondary plates, papulae present radially but absent inter-radially, two series of clearly delineated and heavily calcified marginal plates, actinal plates arranged into distinct chevron-shaped rows as well as suckered tube feet in biserial rows.

Our assessment disagrees with Fisher’s (1940) conclusion that the Hippasterinae is ‘superfluous.’ Fisher based his conclusion on the ‘intermediate’ morphological characters observed in Cladaster . Mah (2006) supported Cladaster as the sister group to the Circeaster lineage; however, it is possible that either the Circeaster and Hippasterine lineages are closely related or that Fisher (1940) referred to different Cladaster spp. than those utilized in Mah (2006). In either case, the data presented here support the Hippasterinae as a discrete group that is recognized herein.

Diagnosis: Pulpy tissue present. Abactinal plates with spiny-granular or angular accessory fringe. Abactinal plates tightly articulated. Superomarginal and inferomarginal plates, wide to quadrate with large, prominent spines in most taxa. Pedicellariae enlarged, abundant and often on raised base. Marginal plates facing laterally. Disk strongly swollen in most.