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Taxonomic revision of the genus Echinaster (Spinulosida: Echinasteridae) in Japanese waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2025

Itaru Kobayashi Open the ORCID record for Itaru Kobayashi [Opens in a new window]  and
Toshihiko Fujita
Itaru Kobayashi*
Affiliation:
Research Center for Inland Seas, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Ibaraki, Japan
Toshihiko Fujita
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Ibaraki, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Itaru Kobayashi; Email: leopard.gecko.1119@gmail.com
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Abstract

The genus Echinaster in Japanese waters was revised, resulting in the discovery of two new species, E. crystallus n. sp. and E. toyoshiomaruae n. sp., and one newly recorded species, E. stereosomus, from Japan. Molecular phylogenetic analyses including 22 echinasterid species indicate that another newly recorded species, Metrodira subulata, is grouped with the other Echinaster species. Since the revised diagnostic characteristics of the genus Echinaster are consistent with the morphology of Metrodira, we newly synonymize this genus with Echinaster. Consequently, the genus Echinaster includes six species in Japanese waters. Morphological descriptions of all Japanese Echinaster species were provided.

Keywords

Echinaster crystallusEchinaster toyoshiomaruaeEchinodermstarfishtaxonomy

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Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 105 , 2025 , e104
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

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