206 BULLETIN 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



glacialis Pennant, 1777 (not Linnaeus); Aslerias violacea O. F. Muller, 1788; Asterias 

 holsatica Retzius, 1805; Asterias minuta Retzius, 1805; Asteracanthium distichum 

 Brandt, 1851; Asterias murrayi Bell. Various combinations of the above names 

 under Asleracanthion, Asteracanthium, Stellonia, Uraster. 



From the White Sea and Iceland (but not Greenland) down to the Senegal 

 coast; exceedingly common all around the British coasts. Accidentally in the Medi- 

 terranean at Cette. From upper tide level to about 400 meters; exceptionally as 

 much as 650 meters. (Mortensen, 1927.) 



6. ASTERIAS VERSICOLOR Sladen. 



Asterias versicolor Sladen, 1889, p. 573, pi. 104, figs. 1-4. 

 The types were taken in depths of 8 to 50 fathoms off Kobe and Awadji Sima, 

 Japan. I have examined the specimens from Cliallenger station 233, off Kobe. The 

 species is obviously related to amurensis, but appears to be perfectly distinct from 

 both amurensis and rollestoni. It will not be strange however if versicolor is found to 

 intergrade with rollestoni. The general color is yellowish mottled with brown. Each 

 abactinal spine is the center of a yellowish zone. The crossed pedicellariae and the 

 straight pedicellariae are very slender. Sladen's figures are excellent. 



7. ASTERIAS VULGARIS Verrill. 



Asterias vulgaris Verrill, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, 1866, p. 347. — Clark, U. S. 



Fish Comm. Bull, for 1902, p. 533, pi. 1, figs. 3, 4; pi. 4, figs. 16, 17. 

 Asterias stimpsoni Verrill (part), Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 10, 1866. 

 Asterias rubens Gould, 1841; Asleracanthion rubens Desor, 1848; Asleracanthion violaceus 



Stimpson, 1853; Asleracanthion rubens Stimpson, 1853; Asleracanthion pallidus A. 



Agassiz, 1863 (nomen nudum); Aslerias vulgaris Packard, 1863 (nomen nudum); 



Asterias fabricii Perrier 1875, p. 56; Asterias pallida Goto, 1898. 



In shallow water, this species ranges from Labrador to the eastern part of Long 

 Island Sound, while in deep water it continues on to the neighborhood of Cape Hat- 

 teras. Low tide to 358 fathoms, exceptionally to 633 fathoms (lat. 39° 15' N., long. 

 72° W., Arcturus expedition). 



Genus EVASTERIAS Verrill, p. 139 



1. EVASTERIAS ECHINOSOMA Fisher, p. 152. 



2. EVASTERIAS TROSCHELI1 (Stimpson), p. 139. 



forma TROSCHEUI, p. 141. 



forma ALVEOLATA Verrill, p. 144. 



forma ACANTHOSTOMA Verrill, p. 148. 



Genus GASTRASTER Perrier 



Gastraster Perrier, Exped. sci. Travailleur et Talisman, 1894, p. 103. Type, Pedicellaster 

 margaritaceus Perrier, 1882. — Fisher, 1923, p. 596. — Mortensen, 1927, p. 137. 



Diagnosis.— Abactinal plates relatively large, imbricated in three very regular 

 longiseries; abactinal and superomarginal spinelets small, spaced, delicate; infero- 

 marginal plates with an oblique series of three or four very flat, bladelike spines which 

 form a prominent fringe along edge of ray; superomarginals broader than inferomar- 

 ginals and abactinal plates, strongly imbricated, four lobed, bearing a crescent of 

 sinnll spinelets; actinal plates small, one corresponding to each inferomarginal; 

 adambulacrals diplacanthid, the spines without attached pedicellariae; first adam- 

 bulacrals not in contact behind mouth plates; the latter flare a little at inner ends 



