JAPANESE ASTEROIDEA. G47 



îxud fidoptod 1)}' NcAV Zealand naturalists — see Trans. N. Z. Inst., vol. xxi, 

 X>. 238 — that specific names should be on(^ word only)." Pie then reproduces 

 Perrier's description. 



It appears from a comparison of the descriptions of Aster ina 

 regular is and Aster ina novœ-xelandiœ that the two are closely rela- 

 ted. Asterina novœ-zelandiœ is again nearly allied to Asterina 

 hatheri and more remotely to the Mediterranean species Asterina 

 gibhosa. So far as my specimens show A. novœ-selandiœ seems 

 to be confined in Japanese waters to the sonthern parts, being 

 found from Kyûsliû southwards, Asterina hatheri taking its place 

 in the more northern parts. These two species may be regarded 

 as the Japanese representatives of the Mediterranean A. gibhosa. 

 Asterina cephea also seems to come near these species ; in fact A. 

 hatheri, A. regular is, A. novœ-zelandiœ, A. gibhosa and A. cephea 

 appear to form a series of nearly related forms, and a more 

 miimte comparative study of these forms on a sufficient number 

 of specimens will probably bring out interesting facts in regard to 

 their geographical and taxonomic relationships. 



The body is regularly star- shaped, perfectly flat on the under 

 side and convex on the upper, with a circular area in the middle 

 of the abactinal surface, distinct in some specimens but obscured 

 in others, enclosed Ijy larger, roughly crescent shaped plates, from 



Prof. Peeeieb hfis described another New Zealand species of this gemas, A. novœ-zealandhr ; but 

 unless it be very different from A. regularis, or lias been described from a good series showing 

 n.] constant difference, it may be one of these abnormal forms, which are not uncommon. I 

 stated (Trans. N. Z. Inst. vol. xxvii, p. 199) that this species occurs in Austraha. My authority 

 was the ' Alert ' Eeport. Mr. Whitelkgge states, however, that it is not found at Port Jackson 

 (Froc. Koy. ftoc. N. S. W. vol. xxüi, p. 202, 1889) ; and the good ' series ' of the ' Alert ' Eeport 

 jirobably belongs to some other form. I have a series of A^ery fine specimens which were sent 

 me by I\Ir. LfKJNs from Xelson. Amongst these are several with two spines on each of the 

 interradial jjlates on the actinal surface ; others have one spine on the large plates near the 

 mouth and two on the smaller ones near the margin. îsot unfrequently the four or five large 

 plates immediately outside the mouth-plates are without spines. The .adambuliioral plates bear 

 two or three spines, forming a single row in the furrow." 



