The Paxillosida are a large order of sea stars.

Paxillosida
Luidia magnifica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Superorder: Valvatacea
Order: Paxillosida
Perrier, 1884
Families

See text.

Characteristics

edit

Paxillosida adults lack an anus and have no suckers on their tube feet. They do not develop the brachiolaria stage in their early development.[1] They possess marginal plates, and have sessile pedicellariae. They mostly inhabit soft-bottomed environments of sand or mud.[2]

Systematics

edit

Recent analyses suggest Paxillosida may be a sister taxon of Asterina.[1] The order is divided into these families:[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Matsubara, M., Komatsu, M., Araki, T., Asakawa, S., Yokobori, S.-I., Watanabe, K. & Wada, H. (2005) The phylogenetic status of Paxillosida (Asteroidea) based on complete mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Genetics and Evolution, 36, 598–605
  2. ^ Barnes, Robert D. (1982). Invertebrate Zoology. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. p. 948. ISBN 0-03-056747-5.
  3. ^ MarineSpecies.org - Paxillosida Perrier, 1884