_>;;_> BULLETIN 70, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



carina narrow, comprising four pairs of postoral adambulacral plates. Typo, Asterias 

 vesiculosa Sladen. 



6. DIPLASTERIAS VESICULOSA (Sladen). 



Asterias vesiculosa Sladen, Challenger Asteroidea, 1889, p. 568, pi. 99, figs. 1, 2, pi. 103, 

 figs. 1,2. 

 Arafura Sea flat. 5° 41' S., long. 134° 4' 30" E.), 800 fathoms. 

 1 examined the type in the British Museum. This species seems clearly related 

 to Diplasterias ss., but lacks actinal spines and has a longer, narrower, adoral carina. 



Genus EREMASTERIAS, new 



Diagnosis.— Resembling Smilasterias Sladen in having a small-meshed, reticu- 

 late, abactinal skeleton beset with small irregularly disposed spinelets and a chevaux- 

 de-frise along the actinolateral border of ray consisting of consecutive transverse 

 combs of three or four, much larger, flattened, spatulate inferomarginal and actinal 

 spines, devoid of attached pedicellariae. Differing in having monacanthid adam- 

 bulacral plates and a more pronounced adoral carina consisting of several pairs of 

 adambulacral plates. Crossed pedicellariae scattered, rare, resembling those of 

 Sporasterias; a few incipiently unguiculate straight pedicellariae. One series of 

 spiniferous actinal plates. Type, Pisaster antarcticus Koehlcr. 



Remarks. — The above diagnosis does not agree with Koehler's excellent descrip- 

 tion in one important point. The position of the combs of actinolateral, spatulate 

 spines, distributed on two Iongiseries of plates, suggests that these plates are respec- 

 tively inferomarginal and actinal, as in Smilasterias, w T hich Eremasierias strongly 

 resembles. Doctor Koehler identities as marginals two Iongiseries, bearing small 

 spinelets, above these combs. I think it likely that Koehler's superomarignal plates 

 are in reality a regular series of dorsolateral (abactinal) plates, while his inferomargi- 

 oals are super omarginals. Doctor Koehler states (p. 32) that the number of spines to 

 each comb does not diminish toward the end of ray. This is not normal behavior 

 lor actinal spines and points rather to the interpretation I have given above, namely 

 that the spines are borne on the inferomarginal and one series of actinals as in Smilas- 

 terias scalprifera. If Doctor Koehler's interpretation is the correct one, then the 

 difference between Eremasierias and Smilasterias is even greater than indicated in 

 the diagnosis; lor there is no doubt that the main part of the fan of spines in S?nilas- 

 terias is carried on the inferomarginals. In S. triremis actinal plates are lacking. 



This genus is not closely related to Pisaster, which has highly characteristic, 

 tiny, straighl pedicellariae, with bifid falcate jaws, not found eleswhere among 

 Asteroidea. 



1. EREMASTERIAS ANTARCTICA (Koehler). 



Pisaster antarcticus Koehler, Aim. I'inst. oceanographique, vol. 7, fasc. 8, 1917, p. 30, pi. 9, 

 figs. 5, G, 7, 8, 10. 17. 



Kerguelen, littoral. 



Genus GRANASTER Perrier 



i ftiEi ei. Travailleur et Talisman, 1894, pp. 129, 133. Type, Slichas- 



I ' her, 1923, i>. 604 (including Hemiasterias) . 

 Il'ri Vkhhill, Shallow-water Starfishes, 1914, p. 362, footnote. Type, O'ranasler 



biserialv K elder. 



