Ailsastra, O'Loughlin & Rowe, 2005

O'Loughlin, P. Mark & Rowe, Francis W. E., 2005, A new asterinid genus from the Indo-West Pacific region, including five new species (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Asterinidae), Memoirs of Museum Victoria 62 (2), pp. 181-189 : 182

Key to species of Ailsastra

1. Rays 5–7; more than 1 madreporite; fissiparous......................................... A. heteractis

— Rays predominantly 5; single madreporite; not fissiparous ........................................... 2

2. Integument obscures abactinal and actinal plates; lacking superomarginal spinelets; proximal actinal large pyramidal spines present........................ A. booneni

— Abactinal and actinal plates not obscured by integument; superomarginal spinelets present; lacking proximal actinal large pyramidal spines......................... 3

3. Rays narrow at base, R/r> 2.5, digitiform; spinelets up to 0.25 mm long........................ A. paulayi

— Rays broad at base, R/r <2.0, not digitiform; spinelets not longer than 0.20 mm .......................... 4

4. Form subpentagonal; up to 8 longitudinal series of papulae across mid-rays; spinelets up to 0.10 mm long........................................ A. amezianeae

— Rays discrete, form not subpentagonal; 6 longitudinal series of papulae across mid-rays; some spinelets more than 0.10 mm long............................ 5

5. Proximal abactinal spinelets frequently in bowl-shaped arrangement......................... A. eleaumei

— Proximal abactinal spinelets never in bowl-shaped arrangement......................... A. achituvi