[2][3][1] Disparids are a speciose and morphologically diverse group of crinoids distinguished by their monocyclic calyx and slender arms without pinnules.

[4] While many disparids had a generalized shape typical of other stalked crinoids, some subgroups achieved strange forms.

The long-lasting Calceocrinidae were recumbent forms, with a flattened crown bent back onto a stalk which rested on the seafloor.

Other unusual disparid families include the armless Zophocrinidae, the spiral-armed Myelodactylidae, and the diminutive, simplified Pisocrinidae.

Disparids have long been classified by the structure of their radial plates and different planes of symmetry, but a cumulative phylogenetic approach has failed to confirm the validity of many proposed subgroups.