| Forcipulatida | |
|---|---|
| Asterias rubens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Subphylum: | Eleutherozoa |
| Superclass: | Asterozoa |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Forcipulatida |
| Families | |
|
See Text |
|
Forcipulatida is an order of sea stars.
Forcipulatids share with the Brisingid sea stars distinctive pedicellariae, consisting of a short stalk with three skeletal ossicles. Unlike that group, however, the forcipulatids tend to have a more robust body.[1] The order includes some well-known species, such as the common starfish, Asterias rubens.
The order is divided into three families: