Comatulidae

This family is of recent restoration, and still has no consensual description. However the description of the family Comasteridae remains partially valid.^{[clarification needed]}

This family counts between 93 and 95 species, distributed in 21 genera,^[2] 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.^[2]

This family has been recently restored following genetic works from Charles Messing's team.^[2]

It contains the following genera:^[1]

• 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

• 
  Alloeocomatella pectinifera
• 
  Anneissia bennetti
• 
  Capillaster multiradiatus
• 
  Clarkcomanthus mirabilis
• 
  Comanthus alternans
• 
  Comaster schlegelii
• 
  Comatula purpurea
• 
  Davidaster rubiginosus