Asteroidea - Valvatida - Goniasteridae

Alternative combinations: Oreaster thoracifer, Oreaster thoracifera, Pentaceros thoracifer

Synonyms: Asterias plauensis Geinitz 1871, Metopaster cornutus Sladen 1893, Oreaster plauensis Geinitz 1871, Stellaster plauensis Geinitz 1871

Full reference: H. B. Geinitz. 1871. Das Elbhalgebirge in Sachsen. Erster Theil. Der untere Quader. III. Seeigel, Seesterne und Haarsterne des unteren Quaders und unteren Pläners. Palaeontographica 20(1):61-93

Belongs to Metopaster according to G. Breton and D. Néraudeau 2008

Sister taxa: Metopaster alexiae, Metopaster andreae, Metopaster angulatus, Metopaster bezanconi, Metopaster bignoti, Metopaster bromleyi, Metopaster calcar, Metopaster carinatus, Metopaster chilipora, Metopaster continuus, Metopaster dividuus, Metopaster downendensis, Metopaster duvergieri, Metopaster elegans, Metopaster elevatus, Metopaster elongatus, Metopaster hunteri, Metopaster hypertelicus, Metopaster icenicus, Metopaster kagstrupensis, Metopaster laevis, Metopaster lisanae, Metopaster loirensis, Metopaster maculatus, Metopaster medius, Metopaster meudonensis, Metopaster miloni, Metopaster montainvillensis, Metopaster parkinsoni, Metopaster polyplacus, Metopaster poulsenii, Metopaster praetumidus, Metopaster rugissimus, Metopaster schulzi, Metopaster spencerii, Metopaster stratifera, Metopaster tamarae, Metopaster teilhardi, Metopaster tenneseensis, Metopaster tercensis, Metopaster trichilae, Metopaster tumidus, Metopaster uncatus, Ravniaster granulatus

Type specimens:

• Metopaster thoracifer: supposedly housed in the Natural History Museum of Dresden
• Metopaster cornutus: BNHM E 20723.
• Stellaster plauensis:

Ecology: epifaunal detritivore