ASTEROIDEA OF NORTH PACIFIC AND ADJACENT WATERS FISHER. 



347 



has a length of 7 mm., and oquals the inner marginal spine. It will \)e seen that 

 there may be two more mouth spines than is usual in smaller Atlantic specimens. 

 However, a specimen (R =.35 mm.), from station 4772 has si.v mouth si)ines as also 

 one from Kadiak (R = 1S mm.) while a young example from .station 28.57 (R=10 

 mm.) has live adambulacral and five mouth spines. The ridges of tissue continu- 

 ing the furrow webs onto the actinolateral membrane are less developed in tlie 

 Bay of Fundy example, but the North Pacific specimens vary somewhat in this 

 character, which Sladen emphasizes for his varietv prolata. 



Type-hcalUy.—'Sorw&y (not formally stated in the Zoologite Danicse Prodro- 

 mus, but Denmark and Norway are to be understood; the species does not occur 

 off Denmark). 



Distribution. — This circumpolar species, heretofore not certainh- known from 

 this region," evidently has, Hke so many other forms, invaded the North Pacific 

 via Bering Strait. It ranges south to Washington, and from shallow water to 

 344 fathoms. Liidwig (Fauna Arctica, vol. 1, p. 470) summarizes the distribution 

 as follows: East coast of North America from Cape Cotl to the Gulf (jf St. Law- 

 rence, north through Davis Strait and Smith Sound to Grinnell Land, reaching the 

 most northerly station in lat. 79° 40' N.; Greenland, Jan Mayen, Spitzbergen, 

 Edgeland, and west of West Spitzbergen; south to Faroe Channel, and the 

 Norwegian coast (Finmark to Bommelfjord); eastward from ?'inmark to Barents 

 Sea, Murman coast, and Kara Sea to Cape Tscheljuskin (longitude 116° E.). 

 From here it evidently ranges to Bering Strait, although there are no records. 



Specimens examined. — Nine, from the following stations: 



Specimens of Pterasler mititaris examined. 



Localltj. 



Depth. 



Nature of bottom. 



2846 

 28S7 

 3213 

 3445 



4772, 



4780. 



South of Unlmak Island, Alaaks 



Near Afognak Island, Alaska 



Near Uninmk Ii^land, Alaska 



Straits of Fuca, WashiOKtoo 



Kadiak Island 



Bowers Dank. Bering Sea, north of 



Andreanof Island. 

 Near Agattu Island, Aleutians 



gravel 



gray sand, broken shells., 



black sand 



rocky 



green mud, brown sand . 

 green sand, pebbloa 



U. 8. Nat Uus. 



Remarlcs. — The presence of this species in the North Pacific is not surprising 

 when considered in comiection with Diplopicraster muliipes, Pscudarchastcr parclii, 

 Benricia snnguinolrnta, Li ptychasttr arcticus, and others. 



I think there is httle doubt that Pterastcr aporus Ludwig is an abnormal example 

 of militaris. In all respects, except in the absence of the oscular oritice, tiie descrip- 

 tion given by Ludwig admirably fits militaris. Ludwigs specimen came from 

 Bering Sea. 



o Ludwig, Fauna .\rcfira, vol. 1, p. -170, ntates that Pt. aporus in perhaps a sjiionym of militaris. 



