Diversity and Biogeography of Sea Stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea)

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2024) | Viewed by 11077

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Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC), B-21000 Dijon, France
Interests: marine biology; molecular ecology; biodiversity; integrative taxonomy

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Guest Editor
Marine Biology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: Southern Ocean; biogeography; Echinodermata; taxonomy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming Special Issue “Diversity and biogeography of sea stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea)” for the journal “Diversity” (IF: 3.029, CiteScore: 2.9).

The class Asteroidea, commonly known as sea stars or starfish, is the second most diverse class of Echinodermata, with around 1,900 species belonging to 344 genera and 38 families. Sea stars are widely distributed, being found in all oceans at all depths, from the intertidal to the hadal zone. They are key components of marine benthic ecosystems and display high ecological diversity worldwide. For the last two decades, considerable efforts have been made to re-evaluate their diversity, but a sharp contrast of knowledge remains among taxa and geographic regions. The present Special Issue aims to fill some important gaps in our knowledge of sea star diversity, in its broader sense.

We aim to gather high-quality papers related to three main topics: 1) biodiversity and conservation, 2) biogeography and phylogeography, 3) phylogeny and taxonomy. Papers dealing either with an integrative approach or underexplored taxa/regions are particularly encouraged.

If you are interested, have additional questions, or want to verify whether your study fits the scope of this Special Issue, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Dr. Quentin Jossart
Dr. Camille Moreau
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • biogeography
  • taxonomy
  • marine biology
  • zoology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3169 KiB  
Article
Outstanding Aggregation of the Atlantic Brisingid Hymenodiscus coronata (Sars, 1871) (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Strait of Sicily
by Margherita Toma, Antonio Giova, Marzia Bo, Simonepietro Canese, Francesco Enrichetti, Teresa Romeo, Eva Salvati and Silvestro Greco
Diversity 2024, 16(4), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16040238 - 17 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1099
Abstract
The sea star Hymenodiscus coronata is the only Mediterranean representative of the deep-sea order Brisingida. In the North-eastern Atlantic Ocean, this species is known to create dense aggregations, while, in the Mediterranean basin, it is generally reported as scattered individuals. Through the analysis [...] Read more.
The sea star Hymenodiscus coronata is the only Mediterranean representative of the deep-sea order Brisingida. In the North-eastern Atlantic Ocean, this species is known to create dense aggregations, while, in the Mediterranean basin, it is generally reported as scattered individuals. Through the analysis of the video footage obtained from an extensive ROV campaign carried out in the northern Strait of Sicily in 2021, over 2850 specimens were counted. The specimens, observed between 310 m and 714 m depth, showed a large variability in size and number of arms. It was noted that 17% of the specimens displayed the peculiar “sail position”, with all the arms extended vertically in the water column, possibly increasing the filtration rate. Almost the totality of the individuals was noted on soft bottoms, in accordance with the ecological preferences of the species. The density of H. coronata in each site varied between 0.01 and 0.81 individuals m−2, with the highest densities reported in sites characterized by large muddy areas among rocky outcrops and turbulent hydrodynamic conditions. Although the trawling areas exploited in 2021 did not seem to interfere with the presence of H. coronata in the study area, a precautionary approach should be assumed to protect the largest ever reported Mediterranean aggregation of this poorly known species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Biogeography of Sea Stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea))
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21 pages, 15625 KiB  
Article
Xyloplax princealberti (Asteroidea, Echinodermata): A New Species That Is Not Always Associated with Wood Falls
by Cheyenne Y. Payne, Ekin Tilic, Rachel E. Boschen-Rose, Amanda Gannon, Josefin Stiller, Avery S. Hiley, Benjamin M. Grupe, Christopher L. Mah and Greg W. Rouse
Diversity 2023, 15(12), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15121212 - 12 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3468
Abstract
Xyloplax is a genus of three species of sea stars previously found only on sunken wood in the deep ocean. Their circular and petaloid bodies, which lend them their common name “sea daisy”, and their presumed exclusive diet of wood make them an [...] Read more.
Xyloplax is a genus of three species of sea stars previously found only on sunken wood in the deep ocean. Their circular and petaloid bodies, which lend them their common name “sea daisy”, and their presumed exclusive diet of wood make them an unusual and rare element of deep-sea ecosystems. We describe here the fourth species of Xyloplax from the eastern Pacific Ocean, Xyloplax princealberti n. sp., which ranges from offshore Canada to the Gulf of California (Mexico) and Costa Rica. Though sampled geographically close to another described species of Xyloplax from the northeastern Pacific, X. janetae, this new species is unique morphologically and according to available DNA data. The short abactinal spines are the most obvious feature that distinguishes X. princealberti n. sp. from other Xyloplax. The minimum distance for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I from Xyloplax princealberti n. sp. to the only other available Xyloplax, X. janetae, was 13.5%. We also describe Ridgeia vestimentiferan tubeworm bushes from active hydrothermal vents as a new Xyloplax habitat, the first record of a non-wood substrate, and a new reproductive strategy, simultaneous hermaphroditism, for this genus. We generated the first mitochondrial genome for a member of Xyloplax and analyzed it with other available asteroid data using nucleotide-coding or amino acid (for protein-coding genes) plus nucleotide coding (for rRNA genes). The nucleotide-coding results place Xylopax as part of the clade Velatida, consistent with a previous phylogenomic analysis that included Xyloplax princealberti n. sp. (as Xyloplax sp.), though the placement of Velatida within Asteroidea differed. The amino acid plus nucleotide coding recovered Velatida to be a grade with X. princealberti n. sp. as sister group to all other Asteroidea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Biogeography of Sea Stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea))
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17 pages, 2288 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Assessment of Sea Star (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) Diversity in the Coastal Magellanic Region (South Chile) and Their Geographical Distribution
by Luka Vantomme, Quentin Jossart, Karin Gérard, Bruno Danis and Camille Moreau
Diversity 2023, 15(11), 1129; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15111129 - 2 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
Sea stars are a diverse and important component of the Southern Ocean benthos. However, scarce information is available regarding their diversity, distribution, evolution, and taxonomic uncertainties persist for multiple taxa. The Magellanic Region (south of Chile) remains under-sampled despite its pivotal location for [...] Read more.
Sea stars are a diverse and important component of the Southern Ocean benthos. However, scarce information is available regarding their diversity, distribution, evolution, and taxonomic uncertainties persist for multiple taxa. The Magellanic Region (south of Chile) remains under-sampled despite its pivotal location for species distribution and diversity, being located at the crossroad of three ocean basins. In this study, we assessed the biodiversity of coastal Magellanic sea stars and their affinities with other oceanic bioregions. An integrative approach combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding was implemented to highlight taxonomic discrepancies such as suspected synonymy and unrecognised diversity. Firstly, we identified a total of 15 species from the coastal Magellanic Region and reported the occurrence of Cycethra frigida Koehler, 1917 for the first time in this region. The distribution of these 15 species ranged from only in South America to circumpolar, bipolar, or possibly cosmopolitan. Secondly, we highlighted possible synonymy in two species pairs within the genera Anasterias and Odontaster. This preliminary biodiversity assessment forms an important baseline for monitoring and conservation purposes, especially in the face of distribution shifts as a response to climate change and the increased presence of invasive species. Developmental mode has previously been suggested to be important in shaping biogeographical patterns. However, developmental mode was insufficient to explain the observed patterns, and other factors (e.g., physiological constraints, competition, bathymetrical range, and the possibility of passively rafting on kelp) are suggested to be at least equally important. Finally, an increase in barcoding effort is needed to better capture phylogeographic patterns for each species, both by increasing the number of specimens investigated and by covering a broader geographical range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Biogeography of Sea Stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea))
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50 pages, 8271 KiB  
Article
Taxonomic Status and Composition of the Genera Caulaster, Porcellanaster and Eremicaster (Asteroidea) Based on Juvenile Morphology and Molecular Phylogenetic Data
by Alexandr N. Mironov, Anna B. Dilman, Nikolay B. Petrov and Irina P. Vladychenskaya
Diversity 2023, 15(10), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15101032 - 24 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2141
Abstract
The genus Porcellanaster Thomson 1878 has hitherto included two species, the type species P. ceruleus Thomson, 1878 and P. ivanovi Belyaev, 1969. According to WoRMS, the full list of junior synonyms of P. ceruleus consists of 15 specific names, including porcellanasterids of the [...] Read more.
The genus Porcellanaster Thomson 1878 has hitherto included two species, the type species P. ceruleus Thomson, 1878 and P. ivanovi Belyaev, 1969. According to WoRMS, the full list of junior synonyms of P. ceruleus consists of 15 specific names, including porcellanasterids of the genera Caulaster Perrier 1882 and Albatrossia Ludwig 1905. In this paper, the morphology of juvenile and adult Porcellanaster and synonymized species from the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans are studied. As a result, the composition of the genus Porcellanaster has been revised. The genus Caulaster is re-established and now includes two species, and two new morphological forms of Caulaster are described. The genera Albatrossia and Damnaster H.E.S Clark & McKnight, 1994 are considered junior synonyms of Caulaster. The number of species of the genus Porcellanaster has increased to five, including the recovered P. caulifer, P. fragilis and P. sladeni. The study of representatives of the closely related genus Eremicaster Fisher, 1905 has not led to a change in its species composition. The main diagnostic feature of Caulaster is the presence of adambulacral and dorsal pedicellariae both in adults and juveniles with a major radius (R) greater than 3.5 mm. Pedicellariae have never been found in Porcellanaster or Eremicaster at any stage of postlarval development. The species of Caulaster and some species of Porcellanaster are the smallest porcellanasterids, with the most simplified morphology and reduced papulae and paxillae responsible for respiration. These genera are located on the phylogenetic tree in different clades, which demonstrates the parallel evolution of these taxa and confirms the validity of the genus Caulaster. One of the reasons for miniaturization is likely the burrowing mode of life with feeding on subsurface sediment of low nutritional value. The simplification of morphology can be traced by many morphological charactercs in many ways, including the reduction in papulae and paxillae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Biogeography of Sea Stars (Echinodermata, Asteroidea))
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