b PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 7S 



Genus ANASTERIAS Perrier 



Anasterias Pekeier, Rev. Stell., 1875, p. 81 ; 1891, p. 91. Type Anasterias minuta 

 Perrier. — Fisheb, Smithsonian Misc Coll, vol. 52, 1908, p 52; Zool. Anz., 

 vol. 33, 1908, p. 356 ; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, vol. 10, 1922, p. 592 ; vol. 18, 

 1926, p. 197 ; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 76, part 3, 1930, p. 221. 



Asteroderma Perriee, Comptes-rend., vol. 106, No. 11, 1888, p. 763; Mission sci. 

 Cap Horn. 1891, p. 96. Type, Astei'Odervia papillosmn Perrier. 



[Not Anasterias Ludwig, 1903; nor Koehler, 1906, 1908, 1912, 1920, 1923; 

 nor Verrill, 1914. See Lysasterias.] 



Diagnosis. — Resembling Spormterias, but the abactinal skeleton 

 typically reduced to an open, delicate irregular mesh, entirely hidden 

 by thick pulpy skin, which in the adult, even when dried, may con- 

 ceal the underlying plates. Both series of marginal plates well 

 developed; the superomarginals commonly monacanthid (or spine- 

 less), the inferomarginals diplacanthid ; one series of actinals, spo- 

 radically spiniferous; adoral carina composed of about three pairs 

 of contiguous postoral adambulacral plates; interbrachial septum 

 strongly calcified; gonads opening ventrally — paedophoric. 



Reniarhs. — The above diagnosis is intended to characterize two 

 known species of a larger group which includes Sporasterias and 

 possibly Kalyptasterids^ and which by right of priority would be 

 called Anasterias. This diagnosis of Anasterias is therefore of the 

 subgenus Anastei^as. 



Notes on the history of this group will be found in Asteroidea of 

 the North Pacific and Adjacent Waters, Part 3.^ As there noted, 

 the group is given generic rank in order to direct attention to the 

 peculiar characters of Ana^teHas, ss. There seems to be no clear 

 line of demarcation between Anasterias and Sporasterias. 



ANASTERIAS MINUTA Perrier 



Plate 6; Plate 7, Figures 1, 2; Plate 8 



Anasterias minuta Perkier, Rev. Stell., 1875, p. 81 ; Mission sci. Cap Horn, 1891, 

 p. 93 (part).— Fisher, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 76, part 3, 1930, p. 223. 



f Aeterodemia papillosum Perrieb, Comptes-rend, vol. 106, No. 11, 1888, p. 765 ; 

 Mission sci. Cap Horn, 1891, p. 96. 



f Anasterias minuta var Asteroderma papillosum, Perrier, 1891, pi. 10, fig. 3a-3c. 



The type of this species is in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle (E, 

 792, Hombron et Jacquinot, 1847, alcohol). Perrier considered 

 the type locality to be Port Famine, Magellan Strait. 



In addition to Doctor Schmitt's material, I have two dried speci- 

 mens from Darwin Harbor, Choiseul Sound, Falkland Islands (No. 

 2623 Mus. Comp, Zool.). The smaller measures R, 18 millimeters, 

 r, 6 millimeters ; the larger R, 48 millimeters, r, 13 millimeters. In 



. 2 Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 76, part 3, 1930, p. 221. 



