Comatula solaris
©Anne: Comatula solaris from base of exposed reef slope at Lizard Island. Arrows show long combed pinnules.
©Anne: Comatula solaris removed from under a slab of rubble at base of exposed reef slope, Lizard Island.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Crinoidea
Order
Comatulida
Family
Comatulidae
Genus
Comatula
Species
Comatula solaris
Colours
Distinguishing features
Comasterids are distinguised from all other featherstar families by having terminal segments of the oral pinnules modified to form a comb. Comasterids a also have a distinctive "feel" due to well developed hooks on most pinnules that cause them to cling like velcro.
Comatula solaris has ten stiff, robust arms and a ring of small cirri. It is distinguished from the similar-looking C. purpurea by having a longer comb on the oral pinnules.
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Comatula solaris is not common at Lizard Island. It is recorded there from just two specimens in the Australian Musem collection and from a single specimen reported by Messing et al. (2006). The latter was found under a small rock on soft bottom in 12 to 17 m depth off Osprey Island.
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: Uncommon.
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Summers, M. M., C.G. Messing and G.W. Rouse (2014). Phylogeny of Comatulidae (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida): A new classification and an assessment of morphological characters for crinoid taxonomy, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 80: 319-339. LIRS catalog number 1813.
Other references
- Clark, A.M. and F.W.E. Rowe (1971). Monograph of shallow-water Indo-west Pacific echinoderms British Museum (Natural History), London.
- Messing, C.G., D.L. Meyer, U.E. Siebeck, L.S. Jermiin, D.I. Vaney and G.W. Rouse (2006). A modern soft-bottom, shallow-water crinoid fauna (Echinodermata) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Coral Reefs, 25: 164-168. LIRS catalog number 956.