Clarkcomanthus albinotus Rowe, Hoggett, Birtles & Vail, 1986

Summers, Mindi M., Messing, Charles G. & Rouse, Greg W., 2017, The genera and species of Comatulidae (Comatulida: Crinoidea): taxonomic revisions and a molecular and morphological guide, Zootaxa 4268 (2), pp. 151-190 : 180

Clarkcomanthus albinotus Rowe, Hoggett, Birtles & Vail, 1986

Fig. 13 A–J

Comanthus parvicirra : HL Clark, 1932: 200 (part). Comanthus parvicirrus : AM Clark, 1975: 395 (part).

Remarks. Molecular data returned six specimens diagnosed morphologically as Clarkcomanthus albinotus and 14 of Cl. littoralis as a single clade with <2.3% COI divergence ( Fig. 14 ). The Cl. littoralis specimens ranged from 10- armed with 24 cirri to 38-armed with four cirri. The inclusion of the specimens previously identified as Cl. littoralis expands the number of cirri found in Cl. albinotus from 0–6 to 0–24 and includes specimens with pinnulars of approximately equal width and length. Clarkcomanthus albinotus was previously distinguished by having middle pinnulars of PII (P D in Rowe et al. 1986) longer than wide, and the following color patterns: khaki brown, mostly green, or paler or orange pinnule tips. The Cl. littoralis specimens recovered in this clade exhibit color patterns found among Rowe et al. ’s (1986) group 1 specimens: green to brown-green, often with yellow or brown markings, but also ranging from uniformly brown to yellow. The species is common on the reef flat and crest, where it often forms dense aggregations among living branching corals.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Clarkcomanthus. (A – J) Clarkcomanthus albinotus— (A) live, oral view following extraction from rubble; (B) semicryptic under ledge; (C – H) aboral views; (I – J) short combs tapering near tip, with J showing paired confluent comb teeth. (K – L) Clarkcomanthus luteofuscum, aboral surface showing rounded centrodorsal with row of cirri. (M – N) Clarkcomanthus cf. littoralis — (M) aboral surface showing centrodorsal with no cirri; (N) comb with separated confluent teeth, smaller near tip. (O – R) Clarkcomanthus comanthipinnus— (O, P) live, oral view following extraction from rubble; (Q) aboral surfaces showing rounded centrodorsal with few cirri at interradials; (R) comb tapering to distal point, composed of separated nonconfluent teeth. (S – T) Clarkcomanthus mirus— (S) aboral surface showing centrodorsal with cirrus buds at interradials; (T) comb tapering to blunt tip, composed of separated nonconfluent teeth. Madang, Papua New Guinea: A. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8060; B, C. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8122; D. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8068; K. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8184; O. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8082; P. MNHN-IE- 2013 - 8151. Raja Ampat, Indonesia: E. SIO-BIC E 6186; F. SIO-BIC E 6187; G, I. SIO-BIC E 6190; L. SIO-BIC E 6210; M, N. SIO-BIC E 6193. South Island, near Lizard Island, Australia: H, J. AM J 17360; holotype. Lizard Island, Australia: Q-R. AM J 16992, holotype; S, T. AM J 17202, holotype.

FIGURE 14. Maximum likelihood tree of Clarkcomanthus inferred from COI. Symbols, location abbreviations, and labels as in Figure 2. New COI sequences are Genbank KR 010190 - KR 010244.