SYNOPSIS 



OP THE 



SPECIES OF STAPvFISH. 



Order 1. ASTEROIDA. 



Body free, star-shaped, with distinct small ambulacra 

 (or walks) of double jJores on the oral surface, from the 

 mouth to the ends of the rays ; dorsal wart distinct. 

 These animals have the faculty of reproducing the arms 

 or such parts as may be accidentally broken off; and if an 

 entire arm be separated, provided part of the body be at- 

 tached to it, other arms are reproduced, and a fresh perfect 

 animal formed. Gray, Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 178. 



Sect. 1. The ambulacra with four rows of feet; dorsal wart 



simple. 



Family I. ASTERI AD.E, Gray, Syn. Brit. Mus. 62 ; Ann. 

 N. H. 18-10, p. 178. Asteracanthion, Miill. i^ Trosch. 

 Ast. U, 1842. 



A. Back with spines. 



I. AsTERiAS. Skeleton netted, with a single mobile spine 

 at each anastomosis of the ossicula; body covered with 

 more or less prominent elongated mobile spines. Gray, 

 Ann. N. H. 1810, p. 178. 



a. Rays 12 or 13, slender, tapering, with small elongated 



spines. 



1. Asterias a.^ter. Rays three times as long as the 

 diameter of the body ; back with seven series of spines ; 

 the labial spine at the angles of the arms very long. Gray, 

 Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 178; Mull. ^ Trosch. Ast. 18^; Inhab. 

 (Brit. Mus.). 



b. Rays 6 or 8, cylindrical. 



2. Asterias calamaria. Arms four times as long as the 

 diameter of the body, with seven ridges of spines; the 

 five dorsal ridges equidistant. Gray , Ann. N.H.\^iQ,^.\7Q; 

 Miill. (Sj- Trosch. Ast. 19. Inhab. Isle of France, New 

 Holland (Brit. Mus.) . 



c. Hays 5-8, elongated, subcylindrical, with five or seven 

 series of spines, the two lotver series close together and 

 near the ambulacra. 



3. Asterias tenuispina. Rays four or five times as long 



as the diameter of the body; spines acute. Var. 1. 8- 

 rayed ; var. 2. shorter-rayed: Madeira. Asterias glacialis, 

 Grube, 21 ; Gray, Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 179. Ast. spinosa, 

 Pennant. Asterias tenuispina, Lamk. ii. 561. A. sava- 

 resii, Chiaje. Asteracanthion temiispinum, Miill. & Trosch. 

 Ast. 11. Inhab. English Coast, Mediterranean. 



4. Asterias rustica. Rays 6, flat, broad ; spines short, 

 thick, truncated. Gray, Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 179. Aste- 

 rias gclatinosa, Meyer, Reise, i. 222 ? Asteracanthion 

 gelatinosum, 3Iiill. iSf Trosch. Ast. 19. Inhab. Valparaiso, 

 in sandy mud, H. Cuming, Esq. 



This species has a series of small triangular plates, 

 pierced with a central triangular hole, within the marginal 

 ambulacral spines. 



5. Asterias echinata. Rays 8, twice as long as the width 

 of the bodv, five-sided ; central ridge of spines interrupted. 

 Gray, Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 179; Miill. ,5,- Trosch. Ast. 19. 

 Valparaiso, on mud, about 4 to 6 fathoms, H. Cuming, Esq. 



A. Rays 5, elongate, angular. 



Asterias glacialis, Miiller, Prodr. 234; Gmelin, 3162; 

 Lamk. ii. 561. Asterias angulosa, Miiller, Zool. Dam. t. 41 ; 

 E. M. t. 119. f. 1. Stellonia glacialis, Nardo. S. angulosa, 

 Agassiz. Asteracanthion glaciate, Miill. & Trosch. 14 ; 

 Linck, t. 38, 39. Inhab. North Sea. 



e. Rays 5, tapering ; the ambulacral series of spines 

 crowded, as if two- or three-rowed ; back netted with 

 a ridge of two or three rows of spines next the ambu- 

 lacral series, and then a single series of spines. Gray, 

 Ann. N. H. 1840, p. 179. 



6. Asterias Holsatica. Rays tapeiing, nearly threetimes as 

 long as the width of the body. Gray, Ann. N. H. 1840, 

 p. 179 ; Retz. Ast. 22 & 26. Asterias violacea,iI/«//er,Z.Z). 

 ii. t. 46. A. glacialis, John. Asteracanthion \'iolaceum. 

 Miill. S^ Trosch. Ast. \6. Inhab. Northern Europe. Colour 

 very variable. 



7. Asterias rubens. Rays broad, more than twice as 

 long as the width of the body, with scattered bhmt spines, 

 spiimlose at the tip. Gray, Ann. N. H. 1841, p. 179. 

 Asterias rubens, Retz. Vet. Akad. Hand. iv. 236 ; Gmelin, 



