But how do they all fit together? how does that work?
Our starting point began with a big, historical mess. The classification had historically included several groups that were confusing and difficult to define..
Interestingly, members of this group (e.g., Stichaster) have what may be a parallel Southern Hemisphere ecological role in South America/Australia/New Zealand relative to the northern Pisaster or Pycnopodia which occur NOWHERE in the Southern Hemisphere!
but the one big subgrouping within the Forcipulatacea called the ASTERIIDAE..the family that includes well-known starfish like Pisaster (aka the Ochre star) was always the most troublesome for past workers trying to work out..
Fortunately, our results were very encouraging and unexpected!
Like this Diplasterias brandti (shown here brooding babies in its mouth)
So, even though you have one big multi-armed guy starfish like the Sunflower star, Pycnopodia, it has closer relationship to something "normal looking" like Pisaster than it does to ANOTHER multi-rayed (and simlar looking) starfish species, say in Australia or Antarctica!