204 BULLETIN 82, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



pinnatis: inferioribus filiformibus." As references he cites Linck's Caput- Medusae 

 cinereum and C.-M. brunnum; the habita the gives as "in M. indico." He adds 

 that this species is close to A. peciinata, if not merely a variety of it. 



This description of Asterias multiradiata was based on a specimen at Lund which 

 was redescribed by Retzius in 1783 and again in 1805. 



Under the name of Comatula multiradiata Lamarck in 1816 referred to three 

 specimens in the Paris Museum which had been brought by P6ron and Lesueur from 

 the Moluccas in 1803. These I examined in 1910. One of them is an example of 

 Capillaster sentosa, another is an example of Comanthus bennetti, and the third served 

 as the basis for J. Miiller's redescription of the multiradiata of Lamarck (not of 

 Linn^) under the name of Aledo multifida (1841). 



At the same time Lamarck described under the name of Comatula fimbriata 

 another specimen which had been brought from Australian seas by P^ron and Lesueur. 



In 1843 J. Miiller redescribed the Linnean type of Asterias multiradiata which 

 he had examined at Lund. He says that the centrodorsal is flat, sunken in the middle. 

 The cirri are XXIV, 24 ; the cirrus segments are not longer than broad ; on the younger 

 a few segments are longer than broad, on the older the segments are often broader 

 than long. The radials are concealed. The elements of the IBr series are short. 

 The IIBr series are 4 (3+4), and the IIIBr series are 3 (2 + 3). The brachials are 

 short with the distal edge bordered with fine spines. The intersyzygial interval is 

 from 8 to 15 muscular articulations. The pinnules at the bases of the arms are the 

 largest. The pinnule segments are short. The disk bears many calcareous nodules 

 resembling pinheads. 



At the same time he redescribed the Lamarckian type of Comatula fimbriata. 

 The cirri are XV, 22; the 8 outermost cirrus segments bear a small sharp dorsal 

 spine. There are 17 arms. The IIBr series are 4 (3+4). The IIIBr series are 3 

 (2 + 3). The brachial intersyzygial interval is from 7 to 10, sometimes even 13, 

 muscular articulations. The pinnules are all of approximately the same length. 

 The size is 6 inches. 



In 1849 Miiller redescribed Comatula (Alecto) fimbriata in the following terms: 

 Twenty arms. The centrodorsal is free of cirri in the middle with the dorsal pole 

 flat. The cirri are XV, 22, marginal in position; toward the end of the cirri the 

 segments gradually develop small blunt spines. IIBr series 4 (3+4). The lowest 

 pinnule (PD)ison the IIBr2, but the first pinnule of the undivided arms (P:) is on the 

 first brachial while the second and third brachials are united by syzygy. Beyond the 

 arm base syzygies occur at intervals of from 6 to 10 muscular articulations. The 

 brachials have the distal edge very rough except at the syzygial lines. Pd is the 

 largest pinnule. The ventral surface of the disk bears a few scattered concretions. 

 The color is yellow. The size is nearly 8 inches. 



Miiller says that the specimen described is an alcoholic example in the Paris 

 Museum which was brought from Trinquemale, Ceylon, by Reynaud in 1829. He 

 mentions another specimen, dry, in the same museum from the voyage of P^ron and 

 Lesueur which was labeled Comatula multiradiata Lam. 



MuUer redescription of the Lamarckian type of Comatula fimbriata published in 

 1843 was drawn up from notes on the specimen taken for him by Troschel, but in 



