Freyellidae

Freyellidae
Freyastera sp. south from Porto Rico (4500m deep).
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Subphylum:	Eleutherozoa
Class:	Asteroidea
Order:	Brisingida
Family:	Freyellidae Downey, 1986
Diversity
6 genera, 48 species

The Freyellidae are a family of deep-sea-dwelling sea stars. It is one of two families in the ordo Brisingida. The majority of species in this family are found in Antarctic waters and near Australia. Other species have been found near New Zealand and the United States.

Taxonomy

• Family Freyellidae
  • Genus Astrocles Fisher, 1917 — three species
    • Astrocles actinodetus
    • Astrocles djakonovi
    • Astrocles japonicus
  • Genus Belgicella Ludwig, 1903 — monotypic
    • Belgicella racowitzana
  • Genus Colpaster Sladen, 1889 — two species
    • Colpaster edwardsi
    • Colpaster scutigerula
  • Genus Freyastera Downey, 1986 — six species
    • Freyastera benthophila
    • Freyastera digitata
    • Freyastera mexicana
    • Freyastera mortenseni
    • Freyastera sexradiata
    • Freyastera tuberculata
  • Genus Freyella Perrier, 1885 (synonym: Freyellidea, Fisher, 1917) — 31 species
  • Genus Freyellaster Fisher 1918 — five species
    • Freyellaster fecundus
    • Freyellaster intermedius
    • Freyellaster polycnema
    • Freyellaster scalaris
    • Freyellaster spatulifer

References

• Clark, A.M.and Mah, C. (2001). An index of names of recent Asteroidea, part 4. Forcipulatida and Brisingida, in: Jangoux, M.; Lawrence, J.M. (Ed.) (2001). Echinoderm Studies, 6: pp. 229–347 (look up in IMIS) [details]
• Downey. M.E. (1986). Revision of the Atlantic Brisingida (Echinodermata: Asteroidea), with description of a new genus and family. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology No.435. 57pp.
• Mah, C.; Hansson, H. (2013). Freyella Perrier, 1885. In: Mah, C.L. (2013) World Asteroidea database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=123217 on 2013-11-25