Systematics, distribution and ecology of sea stars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf and a revised identification key Author Pourvali, Naser Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran Author Aliabadi, Mohammad-Ali Salari Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran Author Salamat, Negin Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran Author Hesni, Majid Askari Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran Author Ranjbar, Mohammad Sharif Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran Author Carter, Hugh Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW 7 5 BD, UK Author Price, Andrew. R. G. School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV 4 7 AL, UK text Zootaxa 2025 2025-06-16 5647 3 201 234 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.3.1 journal article 310979 10.11646/zootaxa.5647.3.1 661c3f5c-778b-4d2d-aff0-58bfd7bb4815 1175-5326 15819780 82D8AE6A-998E-4577-9919-29F470D6DA40

TABLE 2. Number of spinelets found on different plates of Persian Gulf Aquilonastra species of comparable sizes. Data for A. watersi is from Attaran-Fariman & Panahloo (2019).

Species	R (mm)	Abactinal Spinelets	Inferomarginal Spinelets	Actinal Spinelets
Aquilonastra iranica	23	12	12	6
Aquilonastra watersi	25	12–24	16	14
Aquilonastra sp.	22	38	21	19