108 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



In 1884 Prof. Ludwig von Graff described the myzostomes from Antedonfluctuans, 

 giving as the locality Challenger station 190, and in 1887 he recorded the myzostomes 

 from a specimen of the same species which had been dredged by the Alert in Torres 

 Strait. 



In 1888 Carpenter described Antedon fluctuans in detail and figured it on the 

 basis of two mutilated individuals and one fragment and one example of a varietal 

 form from Challenger station 190, and a specimen from Torres Strait taken by the 

 Alert in 1881. After the printing off of that portion of the Challenger report that 

 contained the description of Antedon fluctuans. Carpenter had occasion to revise the 

 endocyclic comatulids in which the two elements of the IBr series are united by 

 synarthry and the IIBr series are 4(3+4). Among these, judged from the original 

 description, was Antedon elegans. Carpenter had made a cursory examination of 

 the greater part of the comatulids dredged by the Alert some time previously, but 

 he had not been able to identify among them any representative of the type that ap- 

 peared in his working list of new Challenger species under the name of Antedon fluc- 

 tuans. Later, however, he had recognized this type in an imperfect specimen from 

 Torres Strait, which was in too mutilated condition for description with the rest 

 of the Alert collection. On going over the Alert collection again in August 1887, 

 he carefully examined the three specimens of Bell's Antedon elegans for the purpose 

 of definitely making out the relationship between this species and others in which 

 the IIBr series are 4(3+4), and he found that in all three of the specimens the ele- 

 ments of the IBr series are united by syzygy, although Professor Bell had expressly 

 noted that among the species of Antedon described in the Alert report "in no case is 

 the radial axillary a syzygy." Carpenter pointed out that Bell's first formula for 

 Antedon elegans indicated that the IIBr series are 4(3+4), and sometimes IIIBr 

 4(3+4) series are present. But in the Alert report Bell said that the IIIBr series 

 are usually 2, but may be 4(3+4). Bell's figured specimen has four IIIBr 2 and one 

 IIIBr 4(3+4) series. Carpenter noted that Bell's formula omitted any reference 

 to IVBr series, which occur in one of his specimens. Carpenter found that Bell's 

 Antedon elegans is identical with Antedon fluctuans, described earlier in the Chal- 

 lenger report. In his discussion of the species he mentioned a number of speci- 

 mens from the Mergui Archipelago and others from the Philippines, which are in 

 reality Z. comata, and also another species from Mergui with the same extensive 

 plating of the disk and a syzygy between the elements of the IBr series, which is 

 Pontiometra andersoni. 



In 1889 in his report upon the crinoids collected by Dr. John Anderson in the 

 Mergui Archipelago Carpenter again affirmed the identity of his Antedon fluctuans 

 with the previously described Antedon elegans of Professor Bell. He referred to 

 Antedon elegans five specimens from Mergui, which, however, really represent Z. 

 comata, and mentioned others from Professor Semper's Philippine collection, which 

 are also Z. comata. 



In 1898 Prof. Ludwig Doderlein published notes upon and figured a specimen of 

 Antedon elegans from Thursday Island. 



In 1909 I recorded and published notes upon four specimens from Mermaid 

 Strait that had been collected by the Gazelle. In the discussions I mentioned a very 

 large series at hand from Singapore and the Philippine Islands, which I identified 



