Astraea is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.Bouchet, P. (2012). Astraea Röding, 1798. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at WoRMS taxon details on 2012-03-15
Etymology The Latin genus Astraea means star, with reference to the star-shape of these snails, also commonly called star shells.The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin
Description Shells of species within this genus can reach a size of about . They have the appearance of a smooth conical shell. The outer edges of the coiled whorls are quite flattened, with prominent axial sculpture. Below widely, it is umbilicate and concave.
Species Extant species within this genus include: Astraea heliotropium (Martyn, 1784)
Fossil records This genus is known in the fossil records from the Paleocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 61.7 to 0.0 million years ago). Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the sediments of Europe, Australia, United States, Japan, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil.
Species Extinct species within this genus include:Astraea Röding 1798 (snail) †Astraea (Liotiastralium) venezuelana Weisbord 1962 †Astraea (Pomaulax) gradata Grant and Gale 1931 †Astraea (Pomaulax) morani Loel and Corey 1932 †Astraea (Vitiastraea) holmesi Ladd 1966 † Astraea bicarinata Suter, 1917 †Astraea fimbriata Borson 1821Astraea fimbriata, Borson 1821 † Astraea granifer (K. Martin, 1884) † Astraea hickmanae Kiel & Bandel, 2002 † Astraea holmesi Ladd, 1966 † Astraea hudsoniana (R. M. Johnston, 1888) † Astraea pseudomodesta Nomura, 1935 † Astraea stellare Gmelin 1791 † Astraea stirps Laws, 1932 †Astraea tentoriiformis Jonas, 1844
Species brought into synonymy
†Astraea (Australium) rhodestoma Lamarck 1822: synonym of Astralium rhodostomum (Lamarck, 1822) Astraea americana (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Lithopoma americanum (Gmelin, 1791) Astraea andersoni (Smith, 1902): synonym of Bolma andersoni (Smith, 1902) Astraea babelis (P. Fischer, 1874): synonym of Uvanilla babelis (P. Fischer, 1874) Astraea brevispina (Lamarck, 1822): synonym of Lithopoma brevispina (Lamarck, 1822) Astraea buschii (Philippi, 1844): synonym of Uvanilla buschii (Philippi, 1844) Astraea calcar (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Astralium calcar (Linnaeus, 1758) Astraea cookii (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Cookia sulcata (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea cubanum Philippi, 1849: synonym of Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea danieli Alf & Kreipl, 2006: synonym of Astralium danieli (Alf & Kreipl, 2006) Astraea dominicana A. H. Verrill, 1950: synonym of Lithopoma tuber (Linnaeus, 1758) Astraea gilchristi (G. B. Sowerby III, 1903): synonym of Bolma bathyraphis (E. A. Smith, 1899) Astraea heimburgi (Dunker, 1882): synonym of Astralium heimburgi (Dunker, 1882) Astraea hokianga Laws, 1948: synonym of Bembicium hokianga (Laws, 1948) Astraea imbricata (Gmelin, 1791): synonym of Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea imbricatum Gmelin, 1791: synonym of Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea jacquelineae Marche-Marchad, 1957: synonym of Bolma jacquelineae (Marche-Marchad, 1957) Astraea johnstoni (Odhner, 1923): synonym of Bolma johnstoni (Odhner, 1923) Astraea lapidifera Röding, 1798: synonym of Xenophora (Xenophora) conchyliophora (Born, 1780) Astraea latispina (Philippi, 1844): synonym of Astralium latispina (Philippi, 1844) Astraea longispina Lamarck, 1822: synonym of Lithopoma phoebium longispina (Lamarck, 1822) Astraea milloni B. Salvat, F. Salvat & Richard, 1973: synonym of Astralium milloni (B. Salvat, F. Salvat & Richard, 1973) Astraea olfersii (Philippi, 1846): synonym of Lithopoma americanum (Gmelin, 1791) Astraea olivacea (W. Wood, 1828): synonym of Uvanilla olivacea (W. Wood, 1828) Astraea papillatum Potiez & Michaud, 1838: synonym of Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea persica Dall, 1907: synonym of Bolma persica (Dall, 1907) Astraea petrothauma Berry, 1940: synonym of Megastraea turbanica (Dall, 1910) Astraea phoebia Röding, 1798: synonym of Lithopoma phoebium (Röding, 1798) Astraea polaris Röding, 1798: synonym of Stellaria solaris (Linnaeus, 1764) Astraea rhodostoma Lamarck, 1822: synonym of Astralium rhodostomum (Lamarck, 1822) Astraea rugosa (Linnaeus, 1767): synonym of Bolma rugosa (Linnaeus, 1767) Astraea rupicollina Stohler, 1959: synonym of Megastraea turbanica (Dall, 1910) Astraea semicostata (Kiener, 1850): synonym of Astralium semicostatum (Kiener, 1850) Astraea sirius Hedley, C., 1923: synonym of Astralium tentoriiforme (Jonas, 1845) Astraea spirata (Dall, 1911): synonym of Pomaulax spiratus (Dall, 1911) Astraea sulcata (Martyn, 1784): synonym of Cookia sulcata (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea tayloriana (E. A. Smith, 1880): synonym of Bolma tayloriana (E. A. Smith, 1880) Astraea tectum Lightfoot, 1786: synonym of Lithopoma tectum (Lightfoot, 1786) Astraea tuber (Linnaeus, 1758): synonym of Lithopoma tuber (Linnaeus, 1758) Astraea tuberosum: synonym of Astralium rhodostomum (Lamarck, 1822) Astraea undosa (Wood, 1828): synonym for Lithopoma undosum (Wood, 1828) Astraea unguis (Wood, 1828): synonym of Uvanilla unguis (W. Wood, 1828) Astraea venezuelensis Flores & Caceres, 1984: synonym of Lithopoma tuber (Linnaeus, 1758)
References
Gofas, S.; Afonso, J.P.; Brandào, M. (Ed.). (S.a.). Conchas e Moluscos de Angola = Coquillages et Mollusques d'Angola. [Shells and molluscs of Angola]. Universidade Agostinho / Elf Aquitaine Angola: Angola. 140 pp. Williams, S.T. (2007). Origins and diversification of Indo-West Pacific marine fauna: evolutionary history and biogeography of turban shells (Gastropoda, Turbinidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 92, 573–592