Study On The Taxonomy Of The Family Asteriidae From The Chinese Waters

Family Asteriidae, is an important group of Forcipulatida. Asteroidea and is widely distributed in the global waters. Asteriidae is also a significant predator among intertidal and subtidal zone.This study is based on material in the Marine Biological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Qingdao and recently collected specimens, we carried out a taxonomy study on the family Asteriidae. A total of 11 species belonging to 5 genera are reported here and 1 species is only found in Taiwan. For each genus and species involved, identification key, morphological description and figures are provided, pictures are taken by microphotography and SEM. the habitats and geographic distribution are listed, and the differences with related species and present taxonomic problems are remarked.Our study supports that Asterias versicolor is not a subspecies of Asterias amurensis. There are 2 species of Aphelasteria in the Chinese waters:Aphelasterias japonica and Aphelasterias changfengyingi, with new found distinguishing characteristics. New features are found in the spines of Asterias argonaut. A key to distinguish 4 species of Asterias based on the pictures of microphotography and SEM is provided as following:1. Superomarginal spines 2-5, mostly 4, can be as many as 7; inferomarginal spines 1～3...............................................................................A. amurensis-Superomarginal spines usually 1-3, sometimes 4; inferomarginal spines 1 or 2....22. Superomarginal spines usually 1 near the basal part of the arm, regularly arranged, 2 or 3 near the tip...............................................................A. versicolor-Superomarginal spines not 1 near the basal part of the arm, not aligned...............33. Aboral spines are strong with longitudinal groove; superomarginal spines, inferomarginal spines and adambulacral spines are mostly very thick with a pronounced groove............................................................A. argonauta Aboral spines small and conical with small spinules, groove hardly be seen; superomarginal spines, inferomarginal spines and adambulacral spines are thin with no groove or groove not obvious......................................A. rollestoni The name list of species recorded from the Chinese waters is listed below. The name marked with "*" is only recorded from Taiwan.Family Asteriidae Gray,1840(1) Genus Asterias Linnaeus,17581. Asterias argonauta Djakonov,19502. Asterias amurensis Lutken,18713. Asterias rollestoni Bell,18814. Asterias versicolor Sladen,1889(2) Genus Aphelasterias Fisher,19235. Aphelasterias japonica Bell,18816. Aphelasterias changfengyingi Baranova & Wu,1962(3) Genus Distolasterias Perrier,18967. Distolasterias nipon Doderlein,19028. Distolasterias elegans Djakonov,1931(4) Genus Coronaster Perrier,18859. Coronaster volsellatus Sladen,188910. Coronaster sakuranus Doderlein,1902*(5) Genus Coscinasterias Verrill,187011. Coscinasterias acutispina Stimpson,1862...