TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Preface m 



Introduction 1 



Preservation of specimens 65 



Identification of Comatulids 66 



Treatment of the species 66 



Order Comatulida 68 



Suborder Oligophreata 74 



Superfamil y Comasterida 76 



Family Comasteridae 76 



Subfamily Capillasterinae 85 



Genus Comatella 89 



Comatella nigra 92 



Comatella stelligera 98 



Comatella maculata 112 



Comatella decora 119 



Comatella brachy cirra 121 



Genus NeocomateUa 122 



Neocomatella pulchella 124 



NeocomateUa alata 142 



NeocomateUa europaea 150 



Genus Palaeocomatella 153 



Palaeocomatella difficilis 154 



Genus Capillaster 156 



Capillaster macrobrachius 158 



Capillaster asterias ^ 160 



Capillaster sentosa 160 



Capillaster gracilicirra 169 



Capillaster mariae 170 



Capillaster multiradiata 173 



Capillaster tenuicirra 209 



Capillaster coecodistoma 212 



Genus Nemaster 214 



Nemaster grandis 216 



Nemaster iowensis 218 



Nemaster rubiginosa 225 



Nemaster discoidea 232 



Genus Comanthoides 240 



Comantlioides spanoschistum 241 



Genus Comissia 244 



Comissia magnifica 247 



Comissia peregrina 248 



Comissia liitlceni 249 



Comissia horridus 254 



Comissia pectinifer 255 



Comissia littoralis 256 



Comissia chadwicki 257 



Comissia hispida 268 



Comissia spinosissima 259 



