Oreasteridae

{{Short description|Family of starfishes}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Choriaster granulatus.jpg

| image_caption = Choriaster granulatus

| taxon = Oreasteridae

| authority = Fisher, 1911 {{ cite web |url=http://www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=149871 |author=C.L. Mah |title=Asteroidea taxon details for Oreasteridae |year=2010 |work=World Asteroidea Database |access-date=June 29, 2011}}

| subdivision_ranks = Genera

| subdivision = See text

}}

The Oreasteridae are a family of sea stars in the class Asteroidea.

Description and characteristics

This family contains many species of regular starfishes with usually 5 arms around a stiff, convex and often brightly colored body. Whereas some species are very easy to identify, like the "pincushion seastars" (Culcita sp.), some other can be difficult to tell apart.{{cite web |url=http://echinoblog.blogspot.fr/2012/01/how-to-tell-apart-knobby-stars.html |title=How to tell apart the "knobby stars" Protoreaster from Pentaceraster |last1=Mah |first1=Christopher L. |date=24 January 2012 |website=The Echinoblog }}

Selected genera

: List source :

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Image:Anthaster valvulatus P1192613.JPG|Anthaster valvulatus

Image:Cake sea star (Anthenea aspera) 2.jpg|Anthenea aspera

Image:Astrosarkus idipi.jpg|Astrosarkus idipi (dried, MNHN)

Image:Oreasteridae - Choriaster granulatus.jpg|Choriaster granulatus

Image:CulcitanovguineaeJI1.jpg|Culcita novaeguineae

Image:Biscuit sea star (Goniodiscaster scaber) 3.jpg|Goniodiscaster scabra

Image:Spiny sea star (Gymnanthenea laevis).jpg|Gymnanthenea laevis

Image:Halityle regularis.jpg|Halityle regularis

Image:Monachaster sanderi.jpg|Monachaster sanderi

Image:BIOL. RESULTS ENDEAVOUR, Vol. IV, part I. Plate X Nectriaster monacanthus.jpg|Nectriaster monacanthus

Image:Chocolate Chip Starfish.jpg|Nidorellia armata

Image:Oreaster reticulatus (reticulated starfish) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 2.jpg|Oreaster reticulatus

Image:Star Attraction.jpg|Pentaceraster cumingi

Image:Pentaster obtusatus.jpg|Pentaster obtusatus

Image:Protoreaster nodosus.jpg|Protoreaster nodosus

Image:Plate 6 (Clark, 1938).jpg|Pseudoreaster obtusangulus

References

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