Comatulidae is a family of comatulid crinoids. Since 2015, it replaces the family Comasteridae.
Description and characteristics
This family is of recent restoration, and still has no consensual description. However the description of the family Comasteridae 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, 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.
This family has been recently restaured following genetic works from Charles Messing's team.
It contains the following genera:
sub-family Comatellinae Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014genus Alloeocomatella Messing, 1995 -- 2 speciesgenus Comatella AH Clark, 1908 -- 2 speciesgenus Davidaster Hoggett & Rowe, 1986 -- 2 speciesgenus Nemaster AH Clark, 1909 -- 1 speciesgenus Comatilia AH Clark, 1909 -- 1 speciesgenus Comatulides AH Clark, 1918 -- 1 speciessub-family Comatulinae Fleming, 1828Tribe Capillasterini AH Clark, 1909genus Capillaster AH Clark, 1909 -- 8 speciesTribe Comasterini AH Clark, 1908genus Anneissia Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014 -- 8 speciesgenus Cenolia AH Clark, 1916 -- 6 speciesgenus Clarkcomanthus Rowe, Hoggett, Birtles & Vail, 1986 -- 9 speciesgenus Comanthus AH Clark, 1908 -- 11 speciesgenus Comaster L. Agassiz, 1836 -- 4 speciesTribe Comatulini Fleming, 1828genus Comactinia AH Clark, 1909 -- 3 speciesgenus Comatula Lamarck, 1816 -- 7 speciesTribe Neocomatellini Summers, Messing, Rouse, 2014genus Comatulella AH Clark, 1911 -- 1 speciesgenus Neocomatella AH Clark, 1909 -- 3 speciesTribe Phanogeniini White & Messing, 2001 (in White & al., 2001)genus Aphanocomaster Messing, 1995 -- 1 speciesgenus Comissia Clark, 1909 -- 14 speciesgenus Phanogenia Lovén, 1866 -- 9 speciesgenus Palaeocomatella AH Clark, 1912 -- 3 speciesgenus Rowemissia Messing, 2001 -- 1 speciesComatulidae incertae sedis—6 species
