Nepanthia is a genus of starfish of the family Asterinidae. Members of the genus have four to seven rays and are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Burma and Indonesia to Australia.

Nepanthia
Nepanthia belcheri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Asterinidae
Genus: Nepanthia
Gray, 1840[1]
Species

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Synonyms
  • Henricides Verrill, 1914
  • Parasterina Fisher, 1908

Characteristics

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Members of the genus Nepanthia are characterized by having four to seven rays that are narrowly flat actinally (underneath), sub-cylindrical and tapering with the marginal edge weakly angular. Pedicellariae are present as are transactinal plates and superactinal plates. The plates on the rays are not in series, there is usually a single papula per space, the spines are fine, glassy but not needle-shaped and the superomarginal plates are irregular. The type species is Nepanthia maculata Gray, 1840.[2]

Distribution

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Members of the genus are found at depths down to about 123 m (404 ft) in Australia, Lord Howe Island, Indonesia, the Timor Sea, New Guinea, West Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Burma and the Mergui Archipelago.[2]

Species

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The World Asteroidea Dartabase lists the following species:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mah, C., Hansson, H. (2013). Mah CL (ed.). "Nepanthia Gray, 1840". World Asteroidea database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  2. ^ a b O'Loughlin, P. M.; Waters, J. M. (2004). "A molecular and morphological revision of genera of Asterinidae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 61 (1): 1–40. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2004.61.1. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2008.