A new sea star of the genus Leptasterias (Asteroidea: Asteriidae) from the Aleutian Islands

Roger N Clark; Stephen C Jewett

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3941.4.6

A new sea star of the genus Leptasterias (Asteroidea: Asteriidae) from the Aleutian Islands

Zootaxa. 2015 Apr 2;3941(4):579-84. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3941.4.6.

Authors

Roger N Clark¹, Stephen C Jewett²

Affiliations

¹ Associate in Invertebrate Zoology, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007 USA Mailing address: 3808 E. Pinehurst Dr., Eagle Mountain, Utah 84005-6007 USA.; Email: insigins_one@yahoo.com.
² Research Professor, Institute of Marine Science, 128 O'Neill, P.O. Box 757220, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220 USA.; Email: scjewett@alaska.edu.

PMID: 25947530
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3941.4.6

Abstract

A new species of asteriid sea star of the genus Leptasterias (Order Forcipulatida) is described from the nearshore waters of the Aleutian Islands. Leptaterias tatei sp. nov. is distinguished from Leptasterias stolacantha Fisher, 1930, by the characteristics of the spines and pedicellariae. Geographic distribution is discussed and a key to the five-rayed Leptasterias of the Aleutian Islands is provided.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Alaska
Animal Distribution
Animal Structures / anatomy & histology
Animal Structures / growth & development
Animals
Body Size
Ecosystem
Organ Size
Starfish / anatomy & histology
Starfish / classification*
Starfish / growth & development