Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their juvenile form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms, called feather stars or comatulids, are members of the largest crinoid order, Comatulida. Crinoids are echinoderms in the phylum Echinodermata, which also includes the starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. They live in both shallow water and in depths as great as 9,000 meters (30,000 ft).
Ambulacraria, or Coelomopora, is a clade of invertebrate phyla that includes echinoderms and hemichordates; a member of this group is called an ambulacrarian. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the echinoderms and hemichordates separated around 533 million years ago. The Ambulacraria are part of the deuterostomes, a clade that also includes the many Chordata, and the few extinct species belonging to the Vetulicolia.
Comasteridae is a family 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.
The Camerata or camerate crinoids are an extinct subclass of Paleozoic stalked crinoids. They were some of the earliest crinoids to originate during the Early Ordovician, reached their maximum diversity during the Mississippian, and became extinct during the Permian–Triassic extinction event. Camerates are the sister group of Pentacrinoidea, which contains all other crinoids. The two largest camerate subgroups are the orders Diplobathrida and Monobathrida.
Nerida Gaye Wilson is an invertebrate marine molecular biologist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation who has interests in diversity, systematics, phylogeny, phylogeography and behavior. Wilson has been instrumental in demonstrating the level of marine cryptic species complexes in Antarctic waters, testing the circumpolar distribution paradigm with molecular data, and using interdisciplinary approaches to show how Antarctic diversity may have been generated. Her work with NOAA on Antarctic Marine Living Resources has been used to regulate exploratory benthic fisheries.
Aethrikos is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm, containing the single species Aethrikos setosa. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. This species exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this species retain yolky eggs in their uteri. The type locality of this species is Styx River State Forest, New South Wales, Australia.
Anoplokaros is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm containing the single species Anoplokaros keerensis. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Mount Keira, New South Wales, Australia.
Baeothele is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm containing the single species Baeothele saukros. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Wollemi National Park, New South Wales, Australia.
Dactylothele is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Dactylothele habros. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Nothofagus Mountain, New South Wales, Australia.
Konothele is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Konothele kallimos. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Mount Hemmant, Queensland, Australia.
Minyplanetes is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Minyplanetes kroombensis. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Kroombit Tops, Queensland, Australia.
Tetrameraden is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm, containing the single species Tetrameraden meringos. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is the Warrumbungle Range, New South Wales, Australia.
Wambalana is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worms containing the single species Wambalana makrothele. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Telegherry State Forest, New South Wales, Australia.
Austroperipatus eridelos is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes.
Planipapillus mundus is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. It is found in New South Wales, Australia. Mating in this species occurs via the head-to-tail configuration, in which the male uses its head to inseminate the female's gonopore.
Promachocrinus kerguelensis is a species of free-swimming, stemless crinoids. It was the only member of its genus until several species were discovered in 2023. P. keruguelensis a coldwater crinoid which is found in the seas around Antarctica and surrounding island groups, including under the sea ice.
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.
Promachocrinus is a genus of free-swimming, stemless crinoids. It was a monotypic genus, with the only species in the genus being Promachocrinus kerguelensis, until the discovery of four new species, establishment of two others previously described and the transfer of another species to the genus in 2023. Known for being coldwater crinoids, members of Promachocrinus are typically found in the seas around Antarctica and surrounding island groups, including under the sea ice. Previously known for having 20 arms, two of the species now included in the genus have 10 arms. Many of the species are circum-Antarctic and can be difficult to tell apart without DNA sequencing.
