Benthopectinidae

{{Short description|Order of starfishes}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Benthopecten_sp.jpg

| image_caption = Benthopecten species

| display_parents = 2

| parent_authority = Ludwig, 1910

| taxon = Benthopectinidae

| authority = Verrill, 1899

| subdivision_ranks = Genera

| subdivision = 8, see text

| synonyms =

• Benthopectininae Verrill, 1894
• Cheirasteridae Ludwig, 1910
• Pararchasterinae Sladen, 1889

}}

Benthopectinidae is a family of sea stars containing at least 75 species in eight genera.{{cite web |url=http://www.marinespecies.eu/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=123126 |title=The World Asteroidea Database - Benthopectinidae |publisher=Marinespecies.eu |accessdate=2010-07-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031211/http://www.marinespecies.eu/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=123126 |archivedate=2016-03-04 }} It is the only family in the monotypic order Notomyotida.

These asteroids are deep-sea dwelling and have flexible arms. The inner dorso-lateral surface of the arms contain characteristic longitudinal muscle bands.{{cite web |url=http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Fossilgroups/asteroz2/index_f/mod_fm.html |title=Asterozoa: Fossil groups: SciComms 05-06: Earth Sciences |publisher=Palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk |date=2005-11-22 |accessdate=2010-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714073619/http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Fossilgroups/asteroz2/index_f/mod_fm.html |archive-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead }} Eight genera of deep-water species make up the majority of the family benthopectinidae, and many of its members are expected to have a greater range than is currently recognized.

Shin. (2015). A New Record of Sea Star Genus Nearchaster (Asteroidea: Notomyotida: Benthopectinidae) from East Sea, Korea. Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity, 31(2), 135–138. https://doi.org/10.5635/ASED.2015.31.2.135