The Valvatacea is one the most ecologically important, taxonomically diverse, and widespread groups of postPalaeozoic (i.e. modern) Asteroidea. Classification within the group has been historically problematic. We present a comprehensively sampled, three-gene (12S, 16S, early-stage histone H3) molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Valvatacea. We include five of the six families within the Paxi...

The Poraniidae (Asteroidea, Valvatacea) is recorded for the first time from Australian waters at deep-sea (>200m) depths, including, present, Australia’s deepest known asteroid occurrence 3850 m. Three genera are reviewed, each represented by a single species, Poraniomorpha tartarus n. sp., Marginaster paucispinus Fisher 1913, and patriciae McKnight 2006, which reassigned to new genus, Bathy...

The study was carried out to ascertain benthic macro-invertebrates checklist in the Cross River, Nigeria and using it for bio-indication of the river quality. A total of 186 benthos specimens were collected. The phylum Insecta was most abundant (96) representing 51.61% of total benthos abundance; followed by Oligochaeta 60 (32.25%), Nemertea 10 (5.37%), Hirudiae 8 (4.3%), Cladocera 6 (3.22%), A...