The ordovician crinoid genus Caleidocrinus Waagen and Jahn, 1899

Confusion concerning the precise nature of the crinoid species Caleidocrinus multiramus is due to an erroneous description by Springer which was based on two specimens which were not types. The genus Caleidocrinus is unusual amongst inadunates in having interbrachial plates. The two recognized species are assigned to separate subgenera. C. multiramus, the type species, is assigned to Caleidocrinus s. s. subgen. nov, and has tall, shield-like radials, concealed basals, and brachials with unsculptured latera. C. turgidulus has broad radial plates supported by triangular basals and brachials with lateral depressions adjacent to plate sutures. It is assigned to Hwcleyocrinus subgen. nov. C. barrandei is a synonym of C. multiramus. Ristnacrinus is probably closely related to this genus.