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List of species that form a part of the echinoderm fauna of South Africa
Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements
The list of echinoderms of South Africa is a list of
species that form a part of the echinoderm (Phylum Echinodermata)
fauna of South Africa , and includes the
starfish ,
feather stars ,
brittle stars ,
sea urchins and
sea cucumbers . The list follows the
SANBI listing on
iNaturalist .
An
echinoderm () is any
deuterostomal
animal of the
phylum Echinodermata (), which includes
starfish ,
brittle stars ,
sea urchins ,
sand dollars and
sea cucumbers , as well as the sessile
sea lilies or "stone lilies". While
bilaterally symmetrical as
larvae , as
adults echinoderms are recognisable by their usually five-pointed
radial symmetry (pentamerous symmetry), and are found on the sea bed at every ocean depth from the
intertidal zone to the
abyssal zone . The phylum contains about 7,600 living
species , making it the second-largest group of
deuterostomes after the
chordates , as well as the largest
marine-only phylum. The first definitive echinoderms appeared near the start of the
Cambrian .
The echinoderms are important both ecologically and geologically. Ecologically, there are few other groupings so abundant in the
biotic desert of the
deep sea , as well as shallower oceans. Most echinoderms are able to
reproduce asexually and
regenerate tissue, organs and limbs; in some cases, they can undergo complete regeneration from a single limb. Geologically, the value of echinoderms is in their
ossified
dermal
endoskeletons , which are major contributors to many
limestone formations and can provide valuable clues as to the geological environment. They were the most used species in regenerative research in the 19th and 20th centuries. Further, some scientists hold that the
radiation of echinoderms was responsible for the
Mesozoic Marine Revolution . (
Full article... )
Subphylum Asterozoa
Class Asteroidea
Superorder Forcipulatacea, order Forcipulatida
Family Asteriidae
Superorder Spinulosacea, order Spinulosida
Family Echinasteridae
Superorder Valvatacea, order Paxillosida
Family Astropectinidae
Order Valvatida,
Family Acanthasteridae
Family Asterinidae
Family Goniasteridae
Family Mithrodiidae
Family Ophidiasteridae
Family Oreasteridae
Family Pterasteridae
Class Ophiuroidea
Order Euryalida
Family Gorgonocephalidae
Superfamily Euryalidea
Family Asteroschematidae
Family Euryalidae, Subfamily Euryalinae
Order Ophiurida, Suborder Ophiurina, Infraorder Gnathophiurina
Family Amphiuridae
Family Ophiactidae
Family Ophiocomidae, Subfamily Ophiocominae
Family Ophionereididae
Family Ophiotrichidae
Infraorder Ophiodermatina
Family Ophiodermatidae
Subfamily Ophiarachninae
Subfamily Ophiodermatinae
Subphylum Crinozoa
Class Crinoidea, subclass Articulata
Order Comatulida, sub-order Comatulidina
Super-family Antedonoidea, family Antedonidae, subfamily Antedoninae
Superfamily Comasteroidea, family Comatulidae, subfamily Comatulinae
Superfamily Mariametroidea, family Mariametridae
Superfamily Tropiometroidea, family Tropiometridae
Subphylum Echinozoa
Class Echinoidea, subclass Cidaroidea
Order Cidaroida
Superfamily Cidaridea, family Cidaridae, subfamily Cidarinae
Subfamily Stylocidarinae
Subclass Euechinoidea, infraclass Acroechinoidea
Order Diadematoida
Family Diadematidae
Infraclass Carinacea
Superorder Echinacea, order Arbacioida
Family Arbaciidae
Order Camarodonta, infraorder Echinidea
Family Echinidae
Family Parechinidae
Superfamily Odontophora, family Echinometridae
Family Toxopneustidae
Infraorder Temnopleuridea
Family Temnopleuridae
Order Stomopneustoida
Family Stomopneustidae
Infraclass Irregularia
Superorder Atelostomata, order Spatangoida, suborder Brissidina
Superfamily Spatangidea, family Loveniidae, subfamily Echinocardiinae
Family Maretiidae
Superorder Neognathostomata, order Clypeasteroida, suborder Scutellina, infraorder Scutelliformes
Superfamily Scutellidea, family Astriclypeidae
Infraorder Laganiformes
Family Echinocyamidae
Order Echinolampadoida
Family Echinolampadidae
Class Holothuroidea
Order Apodida
Family Chiridotidae
Family Synaptidae
Order Aspidochirotida
Family Holothuriidae
Family Stichopodidae
Order Dendrochirotida
Family Cucumariidae
Aslia spyridophora (H.L. Clark, 1923) Grey sea cucumber
[2] syn. Cucumaria spyridophora, Pentacucumis spyridophora
Pentacta doliolum (Pallas, 1766) Cask sea cucumber, mauve sea cucumber
[2]
Pseudocnella insolens (Théel, 1886) Red-chested sea cucumber
[2] syn. Cucumaria insolens Théel, 1886
Pseudocnella sykion (Lampert, 1885) Black sea cucumber
[2] syn. Cucumaria sykion (Lampert, 1885)
Roweia stephensoni (John, 1939) Stephenson's sea cucumber
[2] syn. Cucumaria stephensoni John, 1939
Roweia frauenfeldi frauenfeldi (Ludwig, 1882) Horseshoe sea cucumber
[2] syn. Cucumaria frauenfeldi Ludwig, 1882
Trachasina crucifera (Semper, 1869)
[4] syn. Trachythyone crucifera (Semper, 1869)
Family Psolidae
Family Phyllophoridae
Notes
References
National taxon checklists
Plants
Animals Arthropods Arachnids
Harvestmen
Microwhip scorpions
Pseudoscorpions
Scorpions
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Solifugae
Araneae
Ixodida
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Insects
Alderflies, dobsonflies and fishflies
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