Heliaster solaris Clark, 1920:183

24-rayed sunstar

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Synonym/s: Asterias multiradiata Gray, 1840 (junior homonym of Asterias multiradiata Linnaeus, 1758:663)

It is possibly synonymous with another species in the Heliaster species complex which inhabits the east Pacific (Christopher Mah, pers. comm. 28 September 2011).

Conservation Status

Extinct or invalid (synonymous)

Last record: 1983

This species has not been seen since an El Niño hit the Galapagos Islands in 1983.

Distribution

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Biology & Ecology

Hypodigm

Three specimens are in the US National Museum:

USNM 38860 (2 individuals, sexes unspecified)
USNM 38867 (1 individual, sex unspecified)

For full details regarding the collection of these specimens, see: http://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/iz/?qn=Heliaster+solaris

Two specimens are in the Marine Invertebrate Collection at Charles Darwin Research Station:

MCCDRS 89242 (adult, sex unspecified)
MCCDRS 89243 (adult, sex unspecified)

For full details regarding the collection of these specimens see: http://www.darwinfoundation.org/datazone/collections/eng/furtherinfo/1/89242/ and http://www.darwinfoundation.org/datazone/collections/eng/furtherinfo/1/89243/ respectively.

Media

References

Original scientific description:

Clark, Austin Hobart. (1920). A New Name for Heliaster multiradiatus (Gray). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 1920: 183.

Other references:

Conservation Internation. Press release: GALAPAGOS: THE "ROSETTA STONE OF EVOLUTION" FACES DEVASTATION FROM CLIMATE CHANGE AND FISHING (December 4, 2009). (available online: http://www.conservation.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Pages/galapagos_rosetta_stone.aspx)

Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.

Edgar, G. J., Banks, S. A., Brandt, M., Bustamante, R. H., Chiriboga, A., Earle, S. A., Garske, L. E., Glynn, P. W., Grove, J. S., Henderson, S., Hickman, C. P., Miller, K. A., Rivera, F. and Wellington, G. M. (2010). El Niño, grazers and fisheries interact to greatly elevate extinction risk for Galapagos marine species. Global Change Biology 16: 2876–2890.

Gray, J. E. (1840). XXII. A synopsis of the genera and species of the class Hypostoma (Asterias, Linnaeus). Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6: 175-184.

Hance, Jeremy. (December 03, 2009). Extinctions on the rise in the Galapagos: fishing and global warming devastating islands' species. mongabay.com (available online: http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1203-hance_galapagos.html)

Hickman, C.P. Jr. (1998). A Field Guide to Sea Stars and other Echinoderms of Galápagos. Sugar Spring Press, Lexington, Virginia, 83 pp.

Mah, Christopher L.. (2010). Heliaster solaris A.H. Clark, 1920. In: Mah, C.L. (2010). World Asteroidea database. Accessed through: Mah, C.L. (2010). World Asteroidea database at http://www.marinespecies.org/Asteroidea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=369070 on 2011-09-12

Mah, Christopher L. (2023). World Asteroidea Database. Heliaster solaris A.H. Clark, 1920. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=369070 on 2023-06-20

Maluf, L.Y. (1991) Echinoderm Fauna of the Galápagos Islands. In: James, M.J. (ed.): Galápagos Marine Invertebrates. Taxonomy, Biogeography, and Evolution in Darwin's Islands. Plenum Press, New York and London, p. 345-367.

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