Redescription of a Unique Feather Star (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida: Comasteridae) with the Diagnosis of a New Genus

A new genus, Aphanocomaster , is erected for Comaster pulcher A. H. Clark, which is known only from the holotype. The genus is similar to Comaster in having an apparent cryptosynarthry in the primibrach series, the first brachial syzygy chiefly between the first and second brachials on arms arising from the tertibrach series, and a central mouth. It differs in lacking a transverse initial comb tooth. The new genus differs from all other comasterid genera in having secundibrach series of four ossicles series in which both the first and second ossicles and the third and fourth are united by synarthrial articulations.