Paxillosida

Summary

The Paxillosida are a large order of sea stars.

Paxillosida
Luidia magnifica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Superorder: Valvatacea
Order: PaxillosidaPerrier, 1884 Families See text. Characteristics edit

Paxillosida adults lack an anus and have no suckers on their tube feet. They do not develop the brachiolaria stage in their early development.[1] They possess marginal plates, and have sessile pedicellariae. They mostly inhabit soft-bottomed environments of sand or mud.[2]

Systematics edit

Recent analyses suggest Paxillosida may be a sister taxon of Asterina.[1] The order is divided into these families:[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Matsubara, M., Komatsu, M., Araki, T., Asakawa, S., Yokobori, S.-I., Watanabe, K. & Wada, H. (2005) The phylogenetic status of Paxillosida (Asteroidea) based on complete mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Genetics and Evolution, 36, 598–605
  2. ^ Barnes, Robert D. (1982). Invertebrate Zoology. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. p. 948. ISBN 0-03-056747-5.
  3. ^ MarineSpecies.org - Paxillosida Perrier, 1884