Echinoderms Of Alaska And The Aleutian Islands



Alaska and the Aleutian Island Chain is the richest region in the world for Sea Stars with well over one hundred named species in 45+ genera with at least another 25 recently discovered species presently under description. A sampling of this rich and amazingly colorful fauna is presented herein. All digital photographs by Roger N. Clark. Classification based on Lambert, 2000. Common names used herein are those employed by research personnel engaged in NOAA/NMFS resource assesment surveys.
Order Paxillosida
Family: Astropectinidae
Genus Dipsacaster	Dipsacaster anoplus Fisher, 1910
Genus Dipsacaster	Dipsacaster borealis Fisher, 1910

Genus Leptychaster	Leptychaster anomalus Fisher, 1910
	Leptychaster arcticus (Sars, 1851)
	Leptychaster pacificus Fisher, 1906
	Leptychaster propinquus Fisher, 1910
Family: Luidiidae
Genus Luidia	Luidia foliolata Grube, 1866
Order Notomyotida
Family: Ctenodiscidae
Genus Ctenodiscus	Ctenodiscus crispatus (Retzius, 1805)
Order Notomyhotida
Family: Benthopectinidae
Genus Cheiraster	Cheiraster dawsoni (Verrill, 1880)

Genus Nearchaster	Nearchaster variabilis (Fisher, 1910)
Order Valvatida
Family: Ganeriidae
Genus Aleutiaster	Aleutiaster schefferi A. Clark, 1939
Family: Poraniidae
Genus Poraniopsis	Poraniopsis inflata (Fisher,1906)
Family: Goniasteridae
Genus Cryptopelaster	Cryptopeltaster lepidonotus Fisher, 1905

Genus Ceramaster	Ceramaster arcticus (Verrill, 1909)
	Ceramaster japonicus (Sladen, 1889)
	Ceramaster patagonicus (Sladen, 1889)
	Ceramaster stellatus D'yakonov, 1950

Genus Cladaster	Cladaster validus Fisher, 1910

Genus Gephyreaster	Gephyreaster swifti (Fisher, 1905)

Genus Hippasteria	Hippasteria armata Fisher, 1910
	Hippasteria californica Fisher, 1905
	Hippasteria heathi Fisher, 1910
	Hippasteria kurilensis Fisher, 1910
	Hippasteria spinosa Verrill, 1909
	Hippasteria species A

Genus Mediaster	Mediaster aequalis Stimpson, 1857
Genus Mediaster	Mediaster tenellus Fisher, 1905

Genus Pseudarchaster	Pseudarchaster alascensis Fisher, 1905
	Pseudarchaster dissonus Fisher, 1910
	Pseudarchaster parelii (Duben and Koren, 1844)
Family: Asteropseidae
Genus Dermasterias	Dermasterias imbricata (Grube, 1857)
Order Velatida
Family: Solasteridae
*Genus Crossaster* (1)**	Crossaster borealis Fisher, 1906
*Genus Crossaster* (1)**	Crossaster papposus (Linnaeus, 1767)

*Genus Crossaster* (2)**	Crossaster papposus (Linnaeus, 1767) - continued
	Crossaster species A
	Crossaster species B

Genus Heterozonias	Heterazonias alternatus (Fisher, 1906)

Genus Lophaster	Lophaster furcilliger Fisher, 1905
	Lophaster vexator Fisher, 1910
	Lophaster species A
	Lophaster species B

*Genus Solaster* (1)**	Solaster dawsoni Verrill, 1880
	*Solaster endeca* *(Linné, 1771)*
	Solaster hypothrissus Fisher, 1910
	Solaster stimpsoni Verrill, 1880
	Solaster species A

*Genus Solaster* (2)**	Solaster species B
	Solaster species C
	Solaster species D
	Solaster species E
	Solaster species F
Family: Pterasteridae
Genus Diplopteraster	Diplopteraster multipes (Sars, 1865)

*Genus Pteraster* (1)**	Pteraster cf. gracilis (A. Clark, 1901)
	Pteraster jordani Fisher, 1905
	Pteraster marsippus Fisher, 1910
	Pteraster militaris (Müller, 1776)
	Pteraster obscurus (Perrier, 1891)
	Pteraster pulvillus (Sars, 1861)
	Pteraster temnochiton Fisher, 1910

*Genus Pteraster* (2)**	Pteraster tesselatus Ives, 1888
*Genus Pteraster* (2)**	Pteraster species A

*Genus Pteraster* (3)**	Pteraster species B
	Pteraster species C
	Pteraster species D
	Pteraster species E
Family: Korethrasteridae
Genus Peribolaster	Peribolaster biserialis Fisher, 1905
Order Spinulosida
Family: Echinasteridae
*Genus Henricia* (1)**	Henricia aleutica Fisher, 1910
	Henricia aspera Fisher, 1906
	Henricia asthenactis Fisher, 1910
	Henricia beringiana Yakovleva, 1952
	Henricia cf. clarki Fisher, 1910
	Henricia dyscrita Fisher, 1910
	Henricia leviscula (Stimpson, 1857)
	Henricia longispina Fisher, 1910
	Henricia multispina Fisher, 1910

*Genus Henricia* (2)**	Henricia cf. sanguinolenta (Müller, 1776)
	Henricia spiculifera (H. Clark, 1901)
	Henricia tumida Verrill, 1909

*Genus Henricia* (3)**	Henricia species A
	Henricia species B
	Henricia species C

Genus Odontohenricia	Odontohenricia fisheri (Rowe and Albertson, 1988)
	Odontohenricia species A
	Odontohenricia species C
Order Forcipulatida
Family: Asteriidae
Genus Evasterias	Evasterias echinosoma Fisher, 1926
	Evasterias retifera D'yakonov, 1938
	Evasterias troschelii (Stimpson, 1862)

*Genus Leptasterias* (1)**	Leptasterias asteira Fisher 1930
	Leptasterias alaskensis (Verrill, 1909)
	Leptasterias camtschatica dispar (Verrill, 1914)
	Leptasterias coei coei Verrill, 1914
	Leptasterias coei trunculenta Fisher, 1930

*Genus Leptasterias* (2)**	Leptasterias leptodoma Fisher, 1930
	Leptasterias polaris acervata (Stimpson,1862)
	Leptasterias polaris katherinae (Gray, 1840)
	Leptasterias stolacantha Fisher, 1930

Genus Lethasterias	Lethasterias nanimensis (Verrill, 1914)

Genus Orthasterias	Orthasterias koehleri (De Loriol, 1897)

Genus Pisaster	Pisaster brevispinus (Stimpson, 1857)

Genus Pycnopodia	Pycnopodia helianthoides (Brandt, 1835)

Genus Stephanasterias	Stephanasterias albula (Stimpson, 1853)

Genus Stylasterias	Stylasterias forreri (de Loriol, 1887)
Family: Pedicellasteridae
Genus Ampheraster	Ampheraster marianus (Ludwig, 1905)

Genus Anteliaster	Anteliaster nannodes Fisher, 1928

Genus Pedicellaster	Pedicellaster magister Fisher, 1923

Genus Tarsaster	Tarsaster alaskanus Fisher, 1928