21G BULLETIN 76, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



SUMMARY OF THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF ASTERIINAE AND 

 NOTASTERIINAE OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE 



The following synopsis is not intended to be a revision in the usual sense, since 

 I have not had sufficient material for such an undertaking. It is an attempt to 

 set in order the species of Asteriinae known to occur in the Southern Hemisphere, 

 particularly in antarctic and subantarctic regions. I have also essayed to define 

 more sharply a number of genera which are still poorly understood. 



Diplasterias Perrier has been resuscitated for Asterias brandti and near rela- 

 tives. There seems to be no alternative under existing rules of nomenclature but 

 to recognize this name and to discard Podasterias which was first used by Perrier 

 for a Cosmasterias, then for Diplasterias; later by Koehler (1912) for Diplasterias 

 spinosa; still later by Verrill (1914) for Diplasterias (part). 



So far as known no genus of southern Asteriinae and Notasteriinae is repre- 

 sented (at least well authenticated) in the Northern Hemisphere. 



The following species have not been assigned a place in the summary. 



Cosmasterias radiata Koehler, 1923, p. 36, pi. 2, fig. 5; pi. 3, figs. 1, 2. This 

 species does not seem to me to be congeneric with Cosmasterias lurida. It was dredged 

 from Shag Rock Bank between south Georgia and Falkland Islands, 160 meters. 



Diplasterias spinosa Perrier, 1891, p. 82. Koehler, 1908, p. 273; 1912, p. 17, 

 pi. 1, figs. 2, 9; 1917, p. 29. This species was assigned to Podasterias by Koehler 

 in 1912 as sole species, and in 1917, with hesitation, to Cosmasterias. Koehler 

 indicates that there are three longiseries of actinal spines, but an .examination of 

 his photograph of the actinal surface in conjunction with Perrier's description sug- 

 gests rather that the inner series is referable to the actinal plates, while the two 

 outer are on the inferomarginal plates — as in Diplasterias. This interpretation and 

 the absence of definite longiserial arrangement of abactinal spines would rule out 

 Cosmasterias. The long narrow adoral carina is not found in Diplasterias, ss. The 

 species probably represents a new generic group, as Doctor Koehler has already 

 suggested. (1917, p. 29.) 



The type and only known specimen was taken latitude 47° 29' S., longitude 

 66° 45' W. 



Gastraster studeri de Loriol, 1904, p. 34, pi. 4, figs. 3, 3a-3/. Verrill, 1914, p. 360. 

 The type is probably a very immature Cosmasterias lurida and was taken along 

 with adult lurida at Port San Antonio, Gulf of San Mathias, Argentina. It is 

 certainly not congeneric with the type of Gastraster, G. margaritaceus, which I have 

 examined at the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle. 



Asterias borbonica Perrier, 1875, p. 61. The type in the Museum d'Histoire 

 Naturelle carries a label "Parasterias borbonica — I Bourbon, 1852." It is now 

 in alcohol but was dried at one time. R. 17 mm., r 5 mm. The specimen probably 

 represents a young Sporosterias, but no examination of the gonads was made. 



Reunion Island, Indian Ocean, latitude 21° S. 



Asterias inermis Bell, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1881, p. 512, pi. 47, figs. 2, 2a. The 

 type, supposed to be from Ecuador, is in reality Leptasterias groenlandica forma 

 cribraria, probably from Bering Sea. (See Fisher, 1926, p. 198.) 



