JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA : 119 



ASTROPECTINIDjE. 



Astropecten scoparius Valenciennes. 



(PL ni, figs. 34-41.) 



I look upon Astrop. Jiempricidi M. u. Te. and Astroj). japonicus M. n. Tr. as 

 synonyms of tlie present species. According to Bell [ : 04, p. 149] Astrop. 

 zébra Sladen should be united witli Astrop). JœmpricMi, and in that case 

 Sladen's species would also come in the range of the following review. But 

 as Sladen's Astro}), zebra, so far as can be judged from the published 

 descriptions and figures, appears to me to be a good species, I have confined 

 myseK in the following to a review of the names mentioned at the outset. 

 Astrop. articulatm Say and Astrop. acanthifer Sladen are also very nearly 

 related to the present species. 



The name of tliis species is due to Valenciennes, but its first descrip- 

 tion was pubhshed by Müller and Troschel. These authors divide the 

 species of Astropecten known to them into four gToups, as follows : (1) 

 species with two or more spines on the superomarginals, (2) species with 

 one spine on the superomarginals, (3) species with small tubercles instead 

 of spines on the superomarginals, (4) species with uniformly granular 

 superomarginals without spines or tubercles. The present species is of 

 com-se included in the second gi'oup and described as follows [Müller u. 

 Troschel, '42, p. 71]. : 



" Astropecten scoparius Val. nov. sp. 



" Fünf Ai-me. Verhältniss der Kadien wie 1 : 4. Arme breit, au der 

 Spitze verschmälei-t. Fm-chenpapillen in einem keilförmigen Haufen. Aus 

 der Beschuppung der Bauchplatten zeiclmen sich viele Stachelchen imter 

 der feinem Beschuppung aus, nach dem Rande zu häufiger. Der äusserste 

 Stachel ist sein- lang, breit, etwas schwertförmig gebogen. Die dorsalen 

 Randplatten, 25-30 an jedem Ai-me, sind gleichförmig gekörnt ; vom Ende 

 der Arme zieht sich eine Reihe conischer Stachelchen hin, einer auf jeder 

 Platte am Aussenrande. Diese Stachelchen fehlen jedoch den Platten in 

 den Winkeln zwischen den Annen. Der Raum in der Mitte der Ai-me 



