Ophiuroidea - Oegophiurida - Protasteridae

PaleoDB taxon number: 31532

Synonyms: Eoluidia Stürtz 1886 (no. 129458), Eophiurites Stürtz 1899 (no. 129460), Palaespondylus Stürtz 1899 (no. 129456), Palastropecten Stürtz 1886 (no. 129454), Rhodostoma Sollas and Sollas 1912 (no. 129084), Squamaster Ringueberg 1886 (no. 129283), Sympterura Bather 1905 (no. 129449)

Full reference: B. Stürtz. 1886. Über paläozoische Sesterne. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie 2:142-154

Parent taxon: Protasteridae according to J. Dean Shackleton 2005

Sister taxa: Astutuaster, Budenbachia, Chattaster, Drepanaster, Eugasterella, Gamiroaster, Gregoriura, Hypophiura, Mastigophiura, Palaeophiura, Protaster, Protasterinae, Strataster, Taeniaster, Weigeltura

Subtaxa: Furcaster aequoreus, Furcaster cataphractus, Furcaster daoulasensis, Furcaster decheni, Furcaster leptosoma, Furcaster palaeozoicus, Furcaster trepidans, Furcaster zitteli

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Type: Furcaster palaeozoicus

Ecology: slow-moving low-level epifaunal detritivore-suspension feeder