J 40 Transaction-^. 



Art. XIX. — Stellerids and Echinids from the Kermadcc Islands. 

 By W. B. Benham, D.Sc, F.R.8. 



[Read before the Otaijo Institutp, tft Novemhrr, ]910.] 



Me. Oliver was good enougli to place his collection of echinoderms in 

 my hands for identification. In this communication I deal only with the 

 Asterids, Ophiurids, and Echinids, and must leave the Holothurians for a 

 later article. He also sent me useful notes on the colour and habitats of 

 most of those collected. 



A good number of species have already been recorded from these islands 

 — some littoral forms by Farquhar (1898 and l£Ofl), and others from the 

 deep sea between the islands in the " Challenger " Eeports. 



The present collection contains twenty-one species, and includes all 

 those recorded by Farquhar except Pectinvra {Ojihiofeza) danhyi, together 

 with several species not hitherto met with at the islands. 



List of Littoral Echinoderms. (The new records are preceded by the 



sign X.) 



Asteroidea. 



X Astropecten polyacanthus M. & T. 



Aster opsis imperialis Farq. 

 X Gymnasteria lissotcrgum sp. nov. 



Asterina ( liveri sp. nov. 



Ophidiaster (?) kermadecensis sp.no v. 

 Asterias rodolphi Perr. 

 X Asterias edmondi sp. nov. 



Ophionereis schayeri M. & T. 

 X Amphiura squamata D. Ch. 

 X Ophiocoma hrevipes Pet. 



X Centrostephanus rodgersii Ag. 

 Toxocidaris tnberculatus Lam. 

 Tripneusles gratilla Ag. 

 Phyllacanthu'i dubia Brndt. 

 Echinometra mathaei Blnv). 



Ophiuroidea. 



X Ophiothrix cliveri sp. nov. 

 X OpJiiura kermadecensis sp. nov. 

 Pectinura (Ophiopeza) danhyi Farq. 



Echinoidea. 



X Plesianthus testudinnnus Gray. 

 X Echinoneus cyclostomus Leske. 

 X Fihularia australis Desmlns. 

 X Brissus carinaius Lam. 



Of the Asterids, only Aslropecten polyacanthus has been recorded from 

 New Zealand waters, and there is some doubt as to this identification. 

 All the six genera are widely distributed, and the species are closely related 

 to Pacific and Australian forms. Aster opsis contains but two species— this 

 one from the Kermadecs, and the other {A. vernicina) from Australia. 



Of the six species and genera of Ophiurids, only two have been foimd 

 on our shores — Amphiura squamata and Ophionereis schayeri— both of 

 which are very widely distributed in the Pacific. The other genera arc 

 also common in this ocean. 



Of the ten species of Echinids, belonging to as many genera, only two 

 have been found on our shores, and this but rarely — viz., Crntrostephanus 

 rodgersii and Toxocidaris tuberculatus. The whole series is Indo-Pacific. 

 and for the most part is common on the east coast of Australia. 



In order to make this list as complete as possible, I here add those 

 obtained by the "Challenger" at Stations 170 and 170a, at a depth of 



