Linckia is a genus of sea star

Sea star

Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea...

. They are found mainly in the Indo-Pacific

Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...

 region.
They are known to be creatures with remarkable regenerative

Regeneration (biology)

In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Every species is capable of regeneration, from bacteria to humans. At its most...

 abilities, capable of defensive autotomy

Autotomy

Autotomy or self amputation is the act whereby an animal severs one or more of its own appendages, usually as a self-defense mechanism designed to elude a predator's grasp...

 against predators. They reproduce asexually.

The genus is named after the German naturalist Johann Heinrich Linck

Johann Heinrich Linck

Johann Heinrich Linck was a German pharmacist and naturalist. He was born in Leipzig and ran the family pharmacy known as "The Golden Lion". He wrote a treatise on sea stars, De stellis marinis liber singularis...

 (1674–1734).

Systematics

Five groups within Linckia have been clearly genetically differentiated - L. columbiae, L. bouvieri, two clades within L. guildingi, and one clade with two sub-clades consisting of both L. laevigata and L. multifora
.
A list of species of Linckia:

• Linckia bouvieri (=Linckia formosa)
• Linckia columbiae
  Linckia columbiae
  Linckia columbiae is a species of starfish in the family Ophidiasteridae that is found off the coast of California and adjacent areas of the semi-tropical north east Pacific Ocean...
  
  (=Ophidiaster colombiae, Phataria fascialis)
• Linckia guildingi (=Linckia diplax, Linckia ehrenbergii)
• Linckia hypnicola
• Linckia hystrix
• Linckia multifora
  Linckia multifora
  Linckia multifora is a variously colored starfish in the family Ophidiasteridae that is found in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Its common names include the Dalmation Linckia, mottled Linckia, spotted Linckia, multicolor sea star and multi-pore sea star.-Description:Linckia multifora has a small...
  
  (=Linckia costae, Linckia leachi, Linckia typus, Ophidiaster multiforis)
• Linckia laevigata
  Linckia laevigata
  Linckia laevigata is a species of sea star in the shallow waters of tropical Indo-Pacific. The most common color morph found is pure, dark or light blue, although one can find the aqua, purple or orange variation throughout the ocean...
  
  (=Linckia miliaris)
• Linckia nodosa (=Calliophidiaster psicodelica, Linckia bullisi)
• Linckia purpurea