Synonym: Aspidosomatidae Gregory 1899 [objective synonym]
Full reference: C. Schuchert. 1914. Fossilium Catalogus. 1: Animalia, pars 3, Stelleroidea palaeozoica. W. Junk, Berlin 1-53
Parent taxon: Ophiuroidea according to J. Dean Shackleton 2005
Sister taxa: Ataxaster, Calclyra, Calclyridae, Calyptactis, Cheiropterasteridae, Eophiuridae, Euryalida, Euzonosomatidae, Hallasteridae, Klasmuridae, Lumectaster, Myophiuroida, Oegophiurida, Oegophiuridea, Oegophiuroida, Ophiaulaxoides, Ophioflabellum, Ophioma, Ophiotrigonum, Ophiurella, Ophiurida, Ophiuridea, Phrynophiurida, Stenasteridae, Stenurida
Subtaxa: Armathyrasterinae, Cheiropteraster, Encrinaster, Encrinasterinae, Euzonosoma, Loriolaster, Mastigactis, Urozoma
Type: Encrinaster
Ecology: slow-moving low-level epifaunal detritivore-suspension feeder