Maine Biota Project

Echinoderms of Maine

(Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Echinodermata)


Below is a working list of Maine’s echinoderms. Species attributed to Pollock (1998) are those that were reported as occurring between Cape Cod and Newfoundland.
Class Order Family Genus Species Authority Common Name Sources (full citations given below this table)
Asteroidea Forcipulatida Asteriidae Asterias forbesi Blake Forbes’ asterias DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Forcipulatida Asteriidae Asterias rubens L. northern Asterias DMC as Asterias vulgaris
Asteroidea Forcipulatida Asteriidae Leptasterias tenera (Stimpson) slender-armed star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Paxillosida Goniopectinidae Ctenodiscus crispatus (Retzius) mud star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Spinulosida Echinasteridae Henricia sanguinolenta (O. F. Müller) blood star DMC
Asteroidea Valvatida Goniasteridae Hippasteria phrygiana (Parellus) horse sea star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Valvatida Poraniidae Porania pulvillus (O. F. Müller) badge sea star Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Valvatida Solasteridae Crossaster papposus (L.) spiny sun star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Valvatida Solasteridae Solaster endeca (L.) purple sun star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Asteroidea Velatida Pterasteridae Pteraster militaris O. F. Müller winged sea star Pollock (1998)
Echinoidea Clypeasteroida Echinarachniidae Echinarachnius parma (Lamarck) sand dollar DMC
Echinoidea Echinoida Strongylocentrotidae Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O. F. Müller) green sea urchin DMC
Echinoidea Spatangoida Schizasteridae Brisaster fragilis ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Apodida Chiridotidae Chiridota laevis (Fabricius) silky cucumber DMC; Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Apodida Synaptidae Leptosynapta roseola Verrill pink synapta Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Apodida Synaptidae Leptosynapta tenuis ? white synapta DMC; Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Cucumariidae Cucumaria frondosa (Gunnerus) orange-footed cucumber DMC; Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Cucumariidae Duasmodactyla commune (Forbes) [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Phyllophoridae Pentamera calcigera ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Psolidae Psolus fabricii Düben and Koren scarlet psolus DMC; Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Psolidae Psolus phantapus ? [no common name?] DMC; Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Dendrochirotida Sclerodactylidae Sclerodactyla briareus ? hairy cucumber Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Molpadiida Caudinidae Caudina arenata (Gould) rat-tailed cucumber Pollock (1998)
Holothuroidea Molpadiida Molpadiidae Molpadia oolitica ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Amphiuridae Amphipholis squamata (Delle Chiaje) dwarf brooding snake star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiacanthidae Ophiacantha bidentata ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiacanthidae Ophiomitrella clavigera ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiactidae Ophiopholis aculeata (L.) daisy brittle star DMC; Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiuridae Ophiocten scutatum ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiuridae Ophiura robusta ? [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Ophiurida Ophiuridae Ophiura sarsi Lütken [no common name?] Pollock (1998)
Ophiuroidea Phrynophiurida Gorgonocephalidae Gorgonocephalus arcticus Leach northern basket star DMC; Pollock (1998)


Sources:
DMC = Darling Marine Center website (https://dmc.umaine.edu/research/species-list/) accessed 11 August 2020.
Pollock (1998) = Pollock, Leland W. 1998. A Practical Guide to the Marine Animals of Northeastern North America. Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (ISBN 0-8135-2398-2)