Family PTILOMETRIDAE

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Introduction

The family Ptilometridae is confined to the southern temperate coasts of Australia. There is a single endemic genus, in which two species are recorded.

Ptilometrids are similar to calometrids but are distinguished from other comatulid families by the following combination of character states: arms more than 10; P1 not weak, first two segments of P1 not noticeably enlarged; cirri very long and slender, as long as or longer than arms; most segments with dorsal spine, more than 25 segments per cirrus, P1 similar to P2, but shorter and smaller; centrodorsal large and broad, discoidal or columnar, the numerous cirri more or less in 15 crowded columns, radial areas of centrodorsal indistinct.

General References

Clark, A.H. 1947. A monograph of the existing crinoids. Vol. 1. The comatulids. Part 4b.— Superfamily Mariametrida (concluded—the family Colobometridae) and superfamily Tropiometrida (except the families Thalassometridae and Charitometridae). Bulletin of the United States National Museum 82: 1-473 pls 1-43

Rasmussen, H.W. & Sieverts-Doreck, H. 1978. Articulata. pp. T813-T1027, figs 549-619 in Moore, R.C. & Teichert, C. (eds). Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part T. Echinodermata 2. Crinoidea. Kansas : Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press Vol. 3.

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