Linckia is a genus of sea stars found mainly in the Indo-Pacific region. They are known to be creatures with remarkable regenerative abilities, and capable of defensive autotomy against predators. They reproduce asexually.
The genus is named after the German naturalist Johann Heinrich Linck (1674âÂÂ1734).
Systematics
Five groups within Linckia have been clearly genetically differentiated - L. columbiae, L. bouvieri, two clades within L. guildingi, and one clade with two subclades consisting of both L. laevigata and L. multifora . A list of species of Linckia:
- Linckia bouvieri<small> Perrier, 1875</small> (=Linckia formosa)
- Linckia columbiae<small> Gray, 1840</small> (=Ophidiaster colombiae, Phataria fascialis)
- Linckia gracilis<small> Liao, 1985</small>
- Linckia guildingi<small> Gray, 1840</small> (=Linckia diplax, Linckia ehrenbergii)
- Linckia kuhli<small> von Martens, 1866</small>
- Linckia laevigata<small> (Linnaeus, 1758)</small> (=Linckia miliaris)
- Linckia multifora<small> (Lamarck, 1816)</small> (=Linckia costae, Linckia leachi, Linckia typus, Ophidiaster multiforis)
- Linckia nodosa<small> Perrier, 1875</small> (=Calliophidiaster psicodelica, Linckia bullisi)
- Linckia tyloplax<small> H.L. Clark, 1914</small>
Some sources also give :
References