| Comasteridae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The variable bushy feather star ( Comaster schlegelii ) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Subclass: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | Comasteridae A. H. Clark, 1908 |
| Genera | |
see text | |
Comasteridae is a family of crinoids.
This family is now considered obsolete, having been replaced by the family Comatulidae since 2015. [1]
Members of this family are characterized by possession of one or paired blade-like or knob-like projections on a few to many of the outer segments of the oral pinnules (the side branches closest to the base of the arms) that together form structures called combs. In adults of most species, the mouth is offset from the center of the oral surface, often near the margin, and the anus lies centrally. In some, mouth and anus are both offset, while in a few, the mouth lies centrally and the anus is displaced, the arrangement in other crinoids. Comasterids are also unique among feather stars in other respects: some species in several genera have the centrodorsal, the aboral skeletal plate, reduced and bearing few or no anchoring hook-like cirri; whereas all other feather stars have symmetrical rays, many reef-dwelling species that live semi-cryptically exhibit a secondary bilateral symmetry in addition to the displaced mouth; arms that arise on one or more rays on the side closest to the mouth are longer than those on the other side. They are the ones that extend from the protective crevice and are the primary food collecting structures. Shorter arms opposite the long ones often have better developed gonads and may even lack food-collecting ambulacral grooves. Although a few species occur at depths exceeding 600 m, most comasterids are found in less than 100 m and constitute the great majority of reef-dwelling species in both the tropical Western Atlantic and Indo-Western Pacific regions.
This family has been moved to Comatulidae in 2015. [1] Before that, it contained the following genera: [2]
Subfamily Capillasterinae
Subfamily Comasterinae
Subfamily Comatulinae
Subfamily Phanogeniinae
An echinoderm is any member of the phylum Echinodermata of marine animals. The adults are recognizable by their radial symmetry, and include starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers, as well as the sea lilies or "stone lilies". Adult echinoderms are found on the sea bed at every ocean depth, from the intertidal zone to the abyssal zone. The phylum contains about 7000 living species, making it the second-largest grouping of deuterostomes, after the chordates. Echinoderms are the largest phylum that has no freshwater or terrestrial members.
Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea, one of the classes of the phylum Echinodermata, which also includes the starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Those crinoids which, in their adult form, are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, being members of the largest crinoid order, Comatulida.
Comactinia is a genus of crinoids, characteristically with 10 arms, belonging to the family Comatulidae. There are three described species, two from the western Atlantic and one, Comactinia titan, recently described from the western Pacific.
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.
Charitometridae is a family of crinoids or feather stars in the phylum Echinodermata.
Comaster is a genus of crinoids.
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. Comatulids live on the seabed and on reefs in tropical and temperate waters.
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 Davidaster rubiginosus. It is found on reefs in the tropical western Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.
Davidaster discoideus or the beaded crinoid is a species of feather star in the family Comatulidae. It was previously known as Nemaster discoidea but the World Register of Marine Species has determined that the valid name is Davidaster discoideus. It is found on reefs in the Caribbean Sea and northern coast of South America.
Comaster schlegelii, the variable bushy feather star, is a crinoid in the family Comatulidae. It was previously classified as Comanthina schlegeli but further research showed that it was better placed in the genus Comaster. It is found on shallow water reefs in the western Pacific Ocean.
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.
Oxycomanthus is a genus of crinoids belonging to the family Comatulidae.
Comatulidae is a family of comatulid crinoids. Since 2015, it replaces the family Comasteridae.
Florometra serratissima is a species of crinoid or feather star in the family Antedonidae. It is found off the Pacific coast of North America, usually in deep water.
Endoxocrinus parrae is a species of stalked crinoids of the family Isselicrinidae. It is the most commonly found isocrinine species in west Atlantic Ocean.
Aporometra wilsoni is a marine invertebrate, a species of crinoid or feather star in the family Aporometridae. It is found in shallow water around the coasts of southern Australia.
Aporometra paedophora is a marine invertebrate, a species of crinoid or feather star in the family Aporometridae. It was first found at a depth of 22 fathoms off the Manning River on the New South Wales coast. Other specimens were found off the coast of Bunbury, Western Australia at depths between 9 and 15 m. Based on morphological evidence of four specimens of A. paedophora, Helgen & Rouse believe that this may not be a separate species from Aporometra wilsoni.
Cenometra bella is a species of crinoids belonging to the genus Cenometra. They can have up to 30 arms and can be of variable colours but are often characterised by a marked contrast between the extending free-arms and the feathery pinnules. This species clings to its support and moves around by its feet-like cirri.
Clarkcomanthus is a genus of echinoderms belonging to the family Comatulidae.