VELATIDA (REVISED)

Mah, Christopher & Foltz, David, 2011, Molecular phylogeny of the Valvatacea (Asteroidea: Echinodermata), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (4), pp. 769-788 : 776

THE VELATIDA (REVISED)

Although a survey of the outgroup was not a primary objective of this study and taxon sampling for the group is incomplete, our data did present some insight into the relationships amongst velatidan taxa, which were distanced from the other large nominal velatidan group, the Solasteridae . Remaster and Peribolaster were supported as sister taxa, which is consistent with their placement within the Korethtasteridae. The placement of Asthenactis (Myxasteridae) and the two pterasterids, Euretaster and Hymenaster on the same clade, is broadly consistent with relationships outlined by Blake (1987) but disagrees with the phylogeny of Villier et al. (2004).

Villier et al. (2009) characterized several Jurassic members of the Velatida , including the Paleobenthopectininae and described a Jurassic multi-armed velatidan, Deacuminaster, which suggested relationship with the Myxasteridae . Villier et al. (2004) established pterasterid fossils remains from the Late Cretaceous and placed them within a morphologybased phylogeny for the Pterasteridae . Consideration of the Velatida as sister group to the Valvatida is not contradicted by fossil occurrence.