Parvulastra
Parvulastra exigua
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Asterinidae
Genus: Parvulastra
O'Loughlin, 2004[1]

Parvulastra is a genus of starfish belonging to the family Asterinidae.[2][3] The species of this genus are found in Southern Hemisphere.[1][3]

The genus shows an unusual reproductive mode within Asterinidae: Parvulastra parvivipara and Parvulastra vivipara are viviparous. Prior to their description as distinct species, they were considered variants of Parvulastra exigua, which has free-living (but non-feeding) larvae.[4]

Species

There are five species:[2][3]

References

  1. 1 2 O'Loughlin, P. Mark; Waters, Jonathan M. (2004). "A molecular and morphological revision of genera of Asterinidae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)". Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 61 (1): 1โ€“40. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2004.61.1.
  2. 1 2 Mah CL, ed. (2022). "Parvulastra O'Loughlin in O'Loughlin & Waters, 2004". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Parvulastra O'Loughlin, 2004". GBIF. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  4. โ†‘ Byrne, M. (1996). "Viviparity and intragonadal cannibalism in the diminutive sea stars Patiriella vivipara and P. parvivipara (family Asterinidae)". Marine Biology. 125 (3): 551โ€“567. doi:10.1007/BF00353268. S2CID 83110156.


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