Comatulidae

{{Short description|Family of crinoids}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = | image_caption = ''Anneissia bennetti'' | parent_authority = Fleming, 1928 | taxon = Comatulidae | authority = Fleming, 1928 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = See text }}

'''Comatulidae''' is a family of comatulid crinoids. Since 2015, it replaces the family Comasteridae.<ref name=WoRMS/>

== 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.{{Clarify|reason=The status of Comasteridae should be elaborated on and if it remains invalid, it should be merged|date=March 2025}}

This family counts between 93 and 95 species, distributed in 21 genera,<ref name="Messing et al 2014">{{cite journal |last1=Summers |first1=M. M. |last2=Messing |first2=C. G. |last3=Rouse |first3=G. W. |date=2014 |title=Phylogeny of Comatulidae (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida): A new classification and an assessment of morphological characters for crinoid taxonomy |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=80 |pages=319–339 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2014.06.030 |pmid=25065346|bibcode=2014MolPE..80..319S }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Messing et al 2014"/>

== List of genera == This family has been recently restored following genetic works from Charles Messing's team.<ref name="Messing et al 2014"/>

It contains the following genera:<ref name=WoRMS>{{cite WoRMS |author=Messing, Charles |year=2012 |title=Comatulidae |id=828512 |accessdate=2015-11-23 |db=}}</ref> * subfamily 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 * subfamily 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'' 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''—6 species

<gallery style="text-align:center;" mode="packed"> Image:Alloeocomatella pectinifera Maldives.JPG|''Alloeocomatella pectinifera'' Image:Comasteridae - Oxycomanthus bennetti-003.jpg|''Anneissia bennetti'' Image:Capillaster multiradiatus.JPG|''Capillaster multiradiatus'' Image:Comatulid Milhadhoo.JPG|''Clarkcomanthus mirabilis'' Image:Comanthus alternans1.jpg|''Comanthus alternans'' 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'' </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Comatulida Category:Echinoderm families