410 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



AsteHnides Verrill; type, A. folium (Liitken) ; included species: 

 A. cefheus (Miiller and Troschel), A. wega (Perrier), A. minuta 

 (Linnaeus), A. modesta Verrill. 



Patiria Gray, 1840; type, P. coccinea (Gray) ; included species: P. 

 miniata (Brandt), P. chilensis (Liitken), P. gayi (Perrier), P. gran- 

 ulosa (Perrier), P. fectinifera (Miiller and Troschel), P. granifera 

 (Gray), P. novae-zelandiae (Perrier). 



Patiriella Verrill; type P. regularis (Verrill); included species: 

 P. exigua (Lamarck), P. calcar (Lamarck), P. -fimbriata (Perrier), 

 P. squamata (Perrier), P. calcarata (Perrier), P. pusilla (Perrier), 

 P. gunnii (Gray). 



Asterinopsis Verrill; type, A. penicillaris (Lamarck); included 

 species: A. pilosa (Perrier), A. lymani (Perrier). 



Enoflopatiria Verrill; type, E. marginata (Hupe)=^. stelUfera 

 (M6bius)=4. hraziliensis (Liitken) =4. minuta (Miiller and Tro- 

 schel, not Linnaeus), 



I have examined one or more representatives of these groups. Pro- 

 fessor Verrill in his synopsis (p. 479) relies upon the absence of 

 pedicellariae to distinguish Asterinides from Asterina and Patiria 

 from Enoplopatiria. 



I do not think that the pedicellariae form a reliable generic char- 

 acter in this family. They are absent in Asterina, coronata cristata 

 and present in Asterina coronata euerces. Relying upon the abactinal 

 skeleton and spines I find it very difficult to separate Asterinides from 

 Asterina. The ventral genital pores of Asterina giUhosa., if re- 

 stricted to that species, are certainly an important character, but in 

 practice it is often very difficult or impossible to find them. Asterina^ 

 as used in this paper would include, therefore, Professor Verrill's 

 Asterinides. and similarly I would unite Patiria and Enoplopatiria. 

 Following Professor Verrill's table somewhat, the genera as herein 

 used are contrasted as follows : 



a\ Abactinal plates of papular areas all of one kind, the exposed part usually 

 roundish, elliptical, cordate, or shield-shaped, wholly or partly spinulose. 



Two-bladed pedicellariae present or absent Asterina. 



a*. Abactinal plates of papular areas of 2 or more diverse kinds, the larger 

 proximally arched or crescentic, and notched for passage of papulae; be- 

 tween these are groups of small ovate or pyriform ossicles inserted end- 

 wise, mostly bearing small roundish clusters of spinules. 

 6\ Actinal intermediate plates each with a fan-shaped group of 2 to 8 spines, 



usually webbed. Pedicellariae present or absent Patiria. 



b'. Actinal intermediate plates each with 1 or sometimes 2 spines; fewer 



secondary abactinal ossicles than in Patiria; no pedicellariae Patiriella. 



6*. Actinal intermediate plates each with a fascicle of slender spines; pedi- 

 cellariae, absent or present Asterinopsis. 



