SHALLOW-WATER STARFISHES 



ASTERIAS ACER V ATA Stimpson. 

 Plate xxvii, figures i, 2 (var. acervata, type) ; plate cvi, figure 3 (var.). 



Asterias rubens (pars) and A. minuta (pars) FABRICIUS, Fauna Groenl., pp. 

 367, 370, 1780 (non LiNNf). 



Asterias violacea SABINE, Suppl. Parry's Voyage, p. ccxxni, 1824 (non Miiller). 



Asteracanthion polaris MULLER and TROSCHEL, Syst. Aster., p. 16, 1842 (young). 

 Steenstrup, 1855, p. 240. Liitken, Vidensk. Meddel, 1857, pp. 28, 29, 1857. 

 Perrier, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, pp. 33-36, pi. i, fig. 6, 1869. Duncan and 

 Sladen, 1878, pp. 265, 266, 1878; ditto, Echinod. Arctic Sea, pp. 23-27, pi. 

 n, figs. 4-8, 1881. 



Asterias polaris STIMPSON, Proc. Boston Soc., vin, p. 271, 1862. Verrill, Proc. 

 Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., x, p. 356, 1866; 1867, p. 268; Amer. Journ. Sci., 

 xi, p. 420, 1876; Amer. Journ. Science, XLIX, p. 208, 1895; in Packard, 

 Fauna of Labrador, p. 268, 1867. Perrier, Arch. Zool. Exper., pp. 332, 

 357. 1875 (Greenland examp. described). Bush, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 vi, p. 246, 1883. Sladen, Voy. Challenger, xxx, p. 826, 1889. Ludwig, 

 Fauna Arctica, I, p. 485, 1900 (distribution), non Sabine, 1824. 



Asterias acervata STIMPSON, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vni, p. 271, 1862. 

 Bell, op. cit., 1881, p. 494. Murdoch, Report International Polar Exped., 

 p. 158, 1885. Ludwig, Echinod. des Beringsmeeres Zool. Jahrb., p. 287, 

 1886; Fauna Arctica, i, p. 485, 1900. Sladen, Voy. Chall., xxx, p. 818, 

 1889. Bell, 1881, p. 494- 



Asterias borealis PERRIER, Arch. Zool. Exper., iv, pp. 323, 357, 1875 (descr. 

 Labrador example). Bell, op. cit., 1881, p. 497. 



Asterias douglasi PERRIER, Revis., Arch. Zool. Experim., iv, pp. 333, 357, 

 *875 (based in part on one of Gray's supposed cotypes of A. katherin<z = 

 A. polaris, teste Perrier, in note, p. 357). Bell, Arrangement, p. 497, 1881. 



Of the true Atlantic polaris 1 I have examined large numbers of 

 examples, in various collections, and have also collected it myselt on 

 the southern coast of Labrador and at Anticosti Island (1861), 

 where it is common at low tide among the rocks, often associated in 

 that region with A. vulgaris, which it resembles in size and color. 



Among hundreds of specimens, I have never seen one with five 

 rays, though such are said to occur very rarely. 



The size, form, and arrangement of the dorsal spines vary widely, 

 as in all the allied species, but still the general appearance is pretty 

 characteristic. The dorsal spines are always numerous, capitate (or 

 when more slender, clavate), and always more or less clustered or 

 acervate, unless in very young examples. 



In large Labrador specimens, seven to nine inches in diameter 

 (larger radii may be 100 mm. to 150 mm.), the dorsal spines 



1 This form should be called Asterias acervata borealis, since A. polaris 

 is a preoccupied name. 



