Paralophaster Fisher, 1940

Mah, Christopher L., 2023, New Genera, Species, and observations on the biology of Antarctic Valvatida (Asteroidea), Zootaxa 5310 (1), pp. 1-88 : 56

Paralophaster Fisher, 1940

Paralophaster Fisher, 1940: 175 , A.M. Clark 1962: 52; H.E.S. Clark 1963: 60; Mah & Fujita 2020: 75 .

Myoraster Fisher, 1940: 181 , A.M. Clark 1962: 52.

Diagnosis

Arms five. Abactinal plates in reticulate skeleton, variably arranged among species. Papulae present in tissue covered regions interspersed between plates. Abactinal plates paxillate, bearing short hyaline spinelets with hyaline tips, 3–40 per plate. Taxa with a single series of large paxillae-like marginal plates, widely spaced, reaching 3× the thickness and size of the abactinal plates; pointed spinelets numerous. Marginal plate series encroaches onto actinal interradial region. Superomarginals variably present or absent among species (see discussion below). When present, superomarginals are comparable in height and size to abactinal plates but distinct. Furrow spines, 1 to 5, mostly 2 to 4. Subambulacral spines 2 to 6. At least two species with coelomic brooding of juveniles.