| Asterias | |
|---|---|
| |
| Asterias rubens | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Forcipulatida |
| Family: | Asteriidae |
| Genus: | Asterias Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Type species | |
| Asterias rubens Linnaeus, 1758
| |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Asterias is a genus of the Asteriidae family of sea stars. It includes several of the best-known species of sea stars, including the (Atlantic) common starfish, Asterias rubens, and the northern Pacific seastar, Asterias amurensis. The genus contains a total of eight species in all. All species have five arms and are native to shallow oceanic areas (the littoral zone) of cold to temperate parts of the Holarctic. These starfish have planktonic larvae. Asterias amurensis is an invasive species in Australia and can in some years become a pest in the Japanese mariculture industry.
- ^ Mah, Christopher L. (2007). "Asterias Linnaeus, 1758". World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 16 November 2019.