ASTEROPHILIA CARLAE - (HANLEY, 1989)
Annelida (Phylum) > Polychaeta (Class) > Errantia (Subclass) > Phyllodocida (Order) > Aphroditiformia (Suborder) > Polynoidae (Family) > Arctonoinae (Subfamily) > Asterophilia (Genus)
Carla`s scale worm, Club-spined Scale Worm, Sea star scale worm,
Etymology
Asterophilia : The generic name refers to the relationship between the polynoid and its asteroid host, from the greek, aster = star + from the Greek, phiLe = love.
Carlae : The species is named after the daughter Carla HANLEY in honour of her 7th birthday.
Asterophilia : The generic name refers to the relationship between the polynoid and its asteroid host, from the greek, aster = star + from the Greek, phiLe = love.
Carlae : The species is named after the daughter Carla HANLEY in honour of her 7th birthday.
Similar species
Asterophilia culcitae (Britayev & Fauchald, 2005) has recently been described from Vietnam. It also lives on Culcita, Luidia, & other asteroids so it could have the same geographic distribution as Asterophilia carlae. Unfortunately the characters which separate the two species can't be seen without a microscope.
Gastrolepidia clavigera (Schmarda, 1861) which commensal inhabits startfishes and crinoids, is very similar to Gastrolepidia clavigera. They differ as Asterophilia carlae have fewer setigers and no ventral lobes.
Asterophilia culcitae (Britayev & Fauchald, 2005) has recently been described from Vietnam. It also lives on Culcita, Luidia, & other asteroids so it could have the same geographic distribution as Asterophilia carlae. Unfortunately the characters which separate the two species can't be seen without a microscope.
Gastrolepidia clavigera (Schmarda, 1861) which commensal inhabits startfishes and crinoids, is very similar to Gastrolepidia clavigera. They differ as Asterophilia carlae have fewer setigers and no ventral lobes.