STARFISH (ECHINODERMATA: ASTEROIDEA) OF THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF THE BERING SEA COLLECTED BY THE TINRO-CENTER EXPEDITION ON THE RESEARCH VESSEL “TINRO” IN JULY – AUGUST 2008

Abstract

The data on starfish found in the north-western part of the Bering Sea during trawl survey aboard the research vessel “TINRO” (TINRO-Center) on the depth 43–552 m in July – August 2008 are presented. 27 species of starfish belonging to 10 families and 6 orders were found. 24 of them were identified to specieslevel (two of them are questionable) and 3 – to the genus level. Three species such as Solaster spectabilis, Hippasteria armata and Nearchaster (Nearchaster) pedicellaris pedicellaris are discovered in the Bering Sea for the first time. Pteraster tesselatus, Diplopterastrer multipes and Asterias microdiscus species are recorded for the northwestern part of the Bering Sea for the first time. Data on the location of the collected species, brief remarks on their lifetime coloration, size and some morphological features are given. Life photographs for each species are shown.