ASTEROIDEA 233 



a de jeunes Sporasteria antarctica." He adds the somewhat singular observation: 

 " J'estime done VA. minuta forme jeune d'une Sporasterias ou peut-etre d'une autre 

 Anasterias, ne doit pas figurer parmi les especes du genre Anasterias." 



The type of Anasterias minuta, which is the only specimen which can fix the identity of 

 the species, is in alcohol. The rays are short, R 12 mm., r 6 mm. The integument entirely 

 conceals the abactinal skeleton. I treated one ray with caustic potash which revealed a 

 fairly regular series of small carinal plates, between which and the regular series of 

 superomarginals (each with i short spine) is an irregular very open incomplete net of 

 plates, strongest next to the superomarginals. The net is in part composed of about 14 

 irregular transverse tongues of plates on either side, extending inward toward the 

 carinals and each corresponds roughly to a superomarginal plate. The inferomarginals 

 have 2 spines, which are the largest on the body and are separated from the smaller 

 single superomarginal by a fairly broad channel provided with a row of papulae. Actmal 

 spines not developed ; adambulacral plates strictly monacanthid. The abactinal surface is 

 soft and somewhat pulpy, but not conspicuously papillose or pustulate ; abactinal spinelets 

 few and scattered. 



This specimen obviously falls within Perrier's third group, and my sketch of the 

 abactinal skeleton of the type agrees with the skeleton of the A. minuta of the present 

 report. This sketch is not essentially different from Koehler's figures of young A. 

 pedicellaris (which are possibly referable to minuta). A. conferta, in the young stages, has 

 a variably weak abactinal skeleton of the same sort, and is difficult to separate from 

 minuta. Minuta is closely related to pedicellaris (some varieties of which have an abactinal 

 skeleton as well developed as that of antarctica and studeri). 



The practical difficulty of assigning names to the multitude of variants which one 

 encounters in this complex of "small species" is very trying to the patience. One is 

 bound to sympathize with Leipoldt who lumps them all together as one species ! 



Anasterias antarctica (Liitken) 



(Plate XIX, fig. i) 



Asteracanthion antarcticum Liitken, Vidensk. Meddel., 1856, p. 105. 



Asterias riigispina Stimpson, Proc. Boston Sac. Nat. Hist., vni, i860, p. 267.— Leipoldt, Zeit. Wiss. 



Zool., 1895, p. 563; literature. 

 Asterias cuniiiiighami Perrier, Rev. Stell., 1875, p. 75. 

 Asterias spirabilis Bell., Proc. Zool. Soc. Land., 1881, p. 513, pi. 48, fig. 4. 

 Asterias verrilli Bell, Proc. Zool. Soc. Land., 1881, p. 513, pi. 47, figs. 3, 2a. 

 Asterias liyadesi Perrier, Comptes-rend., 1886, p. 1146. 



Sporasterias spirabilis Perrier, Exped. sci. Travailleur et Talisman, 1894, p. 107. 

 Asterias (Sporasterias) antarctica Meissner, Arch. Naturges., 1896, p. 105, pi. 6, figs. 7, la-^b; 



literature. 

 Sporasterias antarctica Ludwig, Exped. antarct. Beige, 1903, p. 39; 1905, p. 70. — Koehler, 1917, p. 



10; 1920, p. 78, pi. 18, figs. 1-4; pi. 28, figs. 1-4; 1923, p. 14, pi. 7, fig. 4.— Fisher, 1930, p. 240; 



1931, p. 9. 

 Anasterias antarctica Fisher, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, xvui, 1926, p. 197. 



