Boone, Asteroidea, Cruise of "Alva," 1931 245 



References : Asterias laevigata, Linne", C, Syst. Nat. ed. X, 1758, 



p. 662. 

 Linckia typus, Nardo, J. D., Oken's Isis, 1834, p. 717. 

 Linckia crassa. Gray, J. E., Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 1, vol. VI, 



1840, p. 285. 

 Linckia brownii, Gray, op. cit., p. 285. 

 Linckia miliaris, many authors, from 1866 to 1912. 

 Linckia laevigata, Lutken, C., Vidensk. Meddel., 1871, p. 265. — 



Fisher, W. K., Bull. 100, vol. Ill, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1919, p. 



400. — Clark, H. L., Publ. 214, Carnegie Inst., Washington, 



Papers Marine Biol. Labr., p. 64, pi. 9, figs. 1, 2 ; pi. 26, fig. 1. 



Order: SPINULOSA 



Suborder: Alvelata 



Family: ACANTHASTERIDAE 



Genus: ACANTHASTEK Gervais 

 Acanthaster planci (Linne) 



Plates 77 and 78 



Type : Linnaeus quotes Columna's figure, which is of a speci- 

 men from Goa, Portuguese India. 



Distribution : This striking species has a very wide distribu- 

 tion, being known from the Red Sea eastward to the Philippine 

 Islands, and northward to the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, and east- 

 ward from the Molucca Islands, Amboina, Vitu, Fiji Islands, Sa- 

 moan Islands and Society Islands. 



Material examined: One unusually fine specimen from 

 Venus Point Reef, Tahiti, August 15, 1931. Another specimen, 

 not quite so large, from Muller's Reef, Bora-Bora Island, Society 

 Islands, August 24, 1931. 



Notes on the Tahitian specimen : Rays seventeen, sixteen of 

 which are subequal, the seventeenth ray being smaller, about one- 

 half as thick as the larger adjacent rays and scarcely two-thirds 

 as long. Rays about 50 per centum free. R=120 mm., r=:55 mm. 

 Dr. Fisher has recorded larger specimens from Pangasinan Island, 

 P. I., including one with R=185 mm. The abactinal surface of 

 the disk and rays is beset with long, acicular spines, each of which 

 is borne on a high coarse pedicel, which belongs to the cruciform 



