PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



iiiue</|pf?fV^V Ckl^l hy the 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Vol. 86 Washington : 1939 No. 3059 



A XEW SEA STAR OF THE GENUS PORAXIOPSIS FROM 



JAPAN 



Bv Walter K. Fisher 



The new species of Poraniopsis (Echinasteridae) described herein 

 M-as known to me 30 years ago. Tt was found in a jar containing; 

 fishes dredged off Honslin, Japan, by the Albatross in 1906. The 

 genus is an isolated one AA-ith a rather curious distribution. First, 

 there is the present Japanese species, the extent of Avhose range is 

 unknown. P. hi-fiata (Fisher) has been dredged from off Oregon 

 to San Diego, Calif., in 26 to 159 fathoms. P. inilafa fexilis Fisher 

 is a deeper-water race (344 to 600 fathoms) from California, and 

 probably extends to the Gulf of Panama, 458 fathoms. The latter 

 record is based on Aleceandraster mjirus Ludwig, 1905, vrhich is 

 doubtfully distinct. Poranwpfh mira (Ludwig) is untenable on 

 accoinit of Poraniopsis mira (de Loriol) described a year prior as 

 LahiUea mira. In the Magellanic region is found P. eehinaster 

 Perrier. type of the genus, its range extending to Gough Island 

 south of Tristan da Cunha, 50 to 70 fathoms. I have examined a 

 s]7ecimen from this locality and it is P. eehitiaster rather than 

 P. capensie. H. L. Clark, from Cape Colony. 160 to 230 fathoms. 

 Finally, there is P. mira (de Loriol) from the Gulf of San Mathias. 

 Argentina, very distinct from P. eclimmter. 



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