Comatulidae is a family of

comatulid Comatulida is an order of crinoids. Members of this order are known as feather stars and mostly do not have a stalk as adults. The oral surface with the mouth is facing upwards and is surrounded by five, often divided rays with feathery pinnules ...

crinoid Crinoids are marine animals that make up the Class (biology), class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or coma ...

s. Since 2015, it replaces the family

Comasteridae Comasteridae is a family of crinoids. This family is now considered obsolete, having been replaced by the family Comatulidae since 2015. Description and characteristics Members of this family are characterized by possession of one or paired b ...

Description and characteristics

This family is of recent restoration, and still has no consensual description. However the description of the family

remains partially valid. This family counts between 93 and 95 species, distributed in 21 genera, which makes it the second most diversified family of crinoids the behind

Antedonidae Antedonidae is a family of crinoids or feather stars in the phylum Echinodermata. Members of the family are unstalked and have ten feathery arms. They can move about freely and have clawed cirri to attach them temporarily to structures.

, representing approximately 1/6th of known crinoid species. It contains most of the big species of shallow tropical feather stars, in particular in the Indo-Pacific.

List of genera

This family has been recently restored following genetic works from Charles Messing's team. It contains the following genera: * sub-family Comatellinae Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014 ** genus '' Alloeocomatella'' Messing, 1995 -- 2 species ** genus '' Comatella'' AH Clark, 1908 -- 2 species ** genus '' Davidaster'' Hoggett & Rowe, 1986 -- 2 species ** genus '' Nemaster'' AH Clark, 1909 -- 1 species * genus '' Comatilia'' AH Clark, 1909 -- 1 species * genus '' Comatulides'' AH Clark, 1918 -- 1 species * sub-family Comatulinae Fleming, 1828 ** Tribe '' Capillasterini'' AH Clark, 1909 *** genus '' Capillaster'' AH Clark, 1909 -- 8 species ** Tribe '' Comasterini'' AH Clark, 1908 *** genus '' Anneissia'' Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014 -- 8 species *** genus '' Cenolia'' AH Clark, 1916 -- 6 species *** genus '' Clarkcomanthus'' Rowe, Hoggett, Birtles & Vail, 1986 -- 9 species *** genus '' Comanthus'' AH Clark, 1908 -- 11 species *** genus ''

Comaster ''Comaster'' is a genus of crinoids. Species The following species are included in the genus by the World Register of Marine Species: * '' Comaster audax'' Rowe, Hoggett, Birtles & Vail, 1986 * '' Comaster multifidus'' (Müller, 1841) * '' C ...

'' L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 4 species ** Tribe '' Comatulini'' Fleming, 1828 *** genus '' Comactinia'' AH Clark, 1909 -- 3 species *** genus '' Comatula'' Lamarck, 1816 -- 7 species ** Tribe '' Neocomatellini'' Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014 *** genus '' Comatulella'' AH Clark, 1911 -- 1 species *** genus '' Neocomatella'' AH Clark, 1909 -- 3 species ** Tribe '' Phanogeniini'' White & Messing, 2001 (in White & al., 2001) *** genus '' Aphanocomaster'' Messing, 1995 -- 1 species *** genus '' Comissia'' Clark, 1909 -- 14 species *** genus '' Phanogenia'' Lovén, 1866 -- 9 species * genus '' Palaeocomatella'' AH Clark, 1912 -- 3 species * genus '' Rowemissia'' Messing, 2001 -- 1 species * Comatulidae ''

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

''—6 species Image:Alloeocomatella pectinifera Maldives.JPG, '' Alloeocomatella pectinifera'' Image:Comasteridae - Oxycomanthus bennetti-003.jpg, ''

Anneissia bennetti ''Oxycomanthus bennetti'', the Bennett's feather star, is a species of crinoid belonging to the family Comatulidae. It is found in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific between northern Australia and southeast Asia. Description ''Oxycomanthus benne ...

'' Image:Capillaster multiradiatus.JPG, ''

Capillaster multiradiatus ''Capillaster'' is a genus of crinoids. It contains the following species: * ''Capillaster asterias'' AH Clark, 1931 * ''Capillaster gracilicirra'' AH Clark, 1912 * ''Capillaster macrobrachius'' (Hartlaub, 1890) * ''Capillaster mariae ''Capi ...

'' Image:Comatulid Milhadhoo.JPG, ''

Clarkcomanthus mirabilis ''Clarkcomanthus'' is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Comatulidae. The species of this genus are found in Malesia, Australia and East Africa. Species: *''Clarkcomanthus albinotus'' *''Clarkcomanthus alternans'' *''Clarkcomanthu ...

'' Image:Comanthus alternans1.jpg, ''

Comanthus alternans ''Comanthus'' is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Comatulidae Comatulidae is a family of comatulid crinoids. Since 2015, it replaces the family Comasteridae. Description and characteristics This family is of recent restorati ...

'' Image:Comaster schlegelii.JPG, '' Comaster schlegelii'' Image:Comatula purpurea Purple feather star PC079154.JPG, '' Comatula purpurea'' Image:Davidaster rubiginosa (Golden Crinoid Feather Star).jpg, ''

Davidaster rubiginosus ''Davidaster rubiginosus'' or the orange sea lily is a species of crinoid in the family Comatulidae. At one time it was classified as ''Nemaster rubiginosa'' but the World Register of Marine Species has determined that the valid name is ''Dav ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19819363 Comatulida Echinoderm families