Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5716 No. 1: 29 Oct. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-10-29
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.1.4
Page range: 93-106
Abstract views: 65
PDF downloaded: 1

A new species of Comatulidae (Echinodermata: Crinoidea) from the southwestern Atlantic coast

Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 04263-000, Brazil
Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 04263-000, Brazil; Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-120, Brazil
Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 04263-000, Brazil
School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Stockton University, Galloway, NJ, 08205, U.S.A; National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, U.S.A
Echinodermata Brazil Campos Basin Comatulida crinoid feather star shallow water

Abstract

In this paper we describe a new species of Comatulidae based on specimens collected in Campos Basin, off the Southern Brazilian coast at depths ranging from 64 to 202 m. Comactinia auxiliadorae sp. nov. differs from other species in the genus by having pinnules P2, P3, Pb and Pc reduced or absent; proximal pinnulars of the oral pinnules triangular or shield-shaped, with spines on the aboral edge, and without carinae; oral pinnules bearing 3–7 teeth, confluent with exterior edge of the arm. In addition to the species description and photographs, an identification key to the genus Comactinia and a brief discussion about the comb teeth morphology are provided. The new species represents the first Crinoidea from the Brazilian coast described in the last 100 years and the first crinoid species from Brazil described by Brazilian researchers.

References

  1. Agassiz, L. (1865) Crinoids. In: Agassiz, E.C. & Agassiz, A. (Eds.), Sea-side Studies in Natural History. Marine Animals of Massachusetts Bay. Radiates. Ticknor & Fields, Boston, Massachusetts, pp. 120–123. [http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/1802]
  2. Alitto, R.A.S., Amaral, A.C.Z., de Oliveira, L.D., Serrano, H. & Seger, K.R. et al (2019) Atlantic West Ophiothrix spp. in the scope of integrative taxonomy: Confirming the existence of Ophiothrix trindadensis Tommasi, 1970. Plos One, 14 (1), e0210331. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210331
  3. Carpenter, P.H. (1881) Reports on the results of dredging under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico (1877-78), in the Caribbean Sea (1878–79), and the east coast of the United States (1880), by the U.S.C.S. Str. “Blake,” Lieut.-Commander C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., and Commander J.R. Bartlett, U.S.N. Commanding. XVI. Preliminary Report on the Comatulae. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 9 (1), 151–169.
  4. Clark, A.H. (1909) Comatilla, a remarkable new genus of unstalked crinoids. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 36 (1668), 361–367. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.36-1668.361
  5. Clark, A.H. (1909) Revision of the crinoid family Comasteridae, with description of new genera and species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 36, 493–507. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.36-1685.493
  6. Cunha, R., Martins, L., Menegola, C. & Souto, C. (2021) Taxonomy of the sea stars (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from Bahia State, including ontogenetic variation and an illustrated key to the Brazilian species. Zootaxa, 4955 (1), 1–78. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4955.1.1
  7. Fleming, J. (1828) A history of British animals, exhibiting the descriptive characters and systematical arrangement of the genera and species of quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, fishes, mollusca, and radiata of the United Kingdom; including the indigenous, extirpated, and extinct kinds, together with periodical and occasional visitants. Bell & Bradfute, Edinburgh, 565 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.12859
  8. Gondim, A.I., De Moura, R.B. & Christoffersen, M.L. (2021) Catalogue of living crinoids (Echinodermata: Crinoidea) from Brazil. Zootaxa, 4995 (1), 27–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4995.1.2
  9. Martins, L., Souto, C. & Menegola, C. (2012) First record of Holothuria (Theelothuria) princeps and Thyone pawsoni (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Marine Biodiversity Records, 5, 98. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755267212000796
  10. Martins, L., Souto, C., Braga, J. & Tavares, M. (2018) Echinoidea and Holothuroidea (Echinodermata) of the Trindade and Martin Vaz Archipelago, off Brazil, with new records and remarks on taxonomy and species composition. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 98 (3), 521–555. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315416001569
  11. Martins, L. & Souto, C. (2020) Taxonomy of the Brazilian Apodida (Holothuroidea), with the description of two new genera. Marine Biology Research, 16 (4), 219–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2020.1761027
  12. Martins, L. & Tavares, M. (2020) First record of psolid sea cucumber Psolidium (Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Psolidae) from the Brazilian coast, with the description of two new species. Zoological Studies, 59, 2. https://doi.org/10.6620/ZS.2020.59-02
  13. Martins, L. & Tavares, M. (2021) A new species of Parathyone (Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Cucumariidae) from northeastern Brazil, with a key to species. Zootaxa, 4985 (2), 245252. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4985.2.7
  14. Martins, L., Marques, A.O., Fukuda, M.V. & Tavares, M. (2022) An annotated catalogue of Echinodermata types in the Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. Papéis Avulsos De Zoologia, 62, e202262015. https://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2022.62.015
  15. Messing, C.G. (1978) A revision of the comatulid genus Comactinia A.H. Clark (Crinoidea: Echinodermata). Bulletin of Marine Science, 28, 49–80.
  16. Messing, C.G. (1984) Brooding and paedomorphosis in the deep-water feather star Comatilia iridometriformis (Echinodermata: Crinoidea). Marine Biology, 80, 83–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393131
  17. Messing, C.G. (2001) A key to the genera of Comasteridae with a description of a new genus. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 10, 277–300.
  18. Messing, C.G. (2003) Three new species of Comasteridae (Echinodermata, Crinoidea) from the tropical western Pacific. Zoosystema, 25, 149–162.
  19. Müller, J. (1840) Über den Bau des Pentacrinus Caput Medusae. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 1, 307–318.
  20. Rupp, G.S., Marenzi, A.W.C., De Souza, R.V. & Martins, L. (2023) Sea Cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from Santa Catarina Coast, Southern Brazil, with Notes on Their Abundance and Spatial Distribution. Journal of Shellfish Research, 42 (1), 143–153. https://doi.org/10.2983/035.042.0115
  21. Santana, A., Manso, C.L.C., Almeida, A.C.S. & Alves, O.F.S. (2020) Taxonomic review of Ophiothrix Müller & Troschel, 1840 (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Brazil, with the description of four new species. Zootaxa, 4808 (1), 51–78. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4808.1.3
  22. errano, H., Damiano, C.J.S., Alitto, R.A.S., Guilherme, P.D.B., Cerqueira, W.R.P., Mendonça, J.B., Tavares, M. & Borges, M. (2023) A new species of Ophiocoma (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Archipelago Trindade and Martin Vaz, Southeastern Atlantic, and redescription of Ophiocoma echinata. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 103, e49. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315423000383
  23. Summers, M.M., Messing, C.G. & Rouse, G.W. (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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.06.030
  24. Summers, M.M., Messing, C.G. & Rouse, G.W. (2017) The genera and species of Comatulidae (Comatulida: Crinoidea): taxonomic revisions and a molecular and morphological guide. Zootaxa, 4268 (2), 151–190. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4268.2.1
  25. Tommasi, L.R. (1963) Notas sobre alguns crinóides do Brasil. Neotropica, 9, 95–102.
  26. Tommasi, L.R. (1965) Lista dos crinóides recentes do Brasil. Contribuições do Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Série Oceanografia Biológica, 9, 1–33.
  27. Tommasi, L.R. (1969) Nova contribuição à lista dos crinoides recentes do Brasil. Contribuições do Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Série Oceanografia Biológica, 17, 1–8.
  28. Tommasi, L.R. (1971) Equinodermes da região entre o Amapá (Brasil) e a Flórida (EUA). I—Crinoidea. Contribuições do Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Série Oceanografia Biológica, 23, 1–8.
  29. WoRMS Editorial Board (2024) World Register of Marine Species. Available from: http://www.marinespecies.org (accessed 20 December 2024)

How to Cite

Souza, T.H.D., Martins, L., Fukuda, M. & Souto, C. (2025) A new species of Comatulidae (Echinodermata: Crinoidea) from the southwestern Atlantic coast. Zootaxa, 5716 (1), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.1.4