186 A. E. Verrill — Hevisioii Genera and Species of Starfishes. 



Nymphaster arenatus (Per.). 



Penfagonaster arenatus Per., 1881, p. 21; 1884, p. 236, pi. vii, figs. 3, 4. 



Nymphaster (?) arenatas Sla., 1889, p. 752. 



Dongona arenata Per., 1894, p. 379, pi. xxii, fig. 6, pi. xxiv, figs. 5, 6. 



Found on both sides of the Atlantic. It was taken by the Blake 

 in the West Indies, in 164 to 874 fathoms, and by the Travailleur 

 and Talisman, at many localities, in 157 to 1635 meters. It was 

 also dredged in the West Indies by the Albatross, 



Nymphaster Jacqueti (Per.). 



Dorigona Jacqueti Per., 1894, p. 383, pi. xxi, fig. 4, pi. xxii, fig. 5. 

 Dorigona prehensilis Per., 1885; 1894, pp. 32, 33. 

 Nymphaster (1) prehensilis Sladen, 1889, p. 752. 



East Atlantic, from N. lat. 44° 5' to 28° 35', in 540 to 1238 meters. 



Perrier does not explain why he has changed the name of this 

 species from prehensilis to pJacqueti, except that he states (1894, p. 

 426) that the former is a " variety" of the latter. If no other rea- 

 son exists, the earlier name should be retained. 



Nymphaster protentus Sladen. 



Voy. ClTall., xxx, p. 303, pi. 1, figs. 3, 4, pi. liii, figs. 9, 10, 1889. 

 Off Canary Islands, in 1525 fathoms. 



Njmiphaster albidus Sladen. 



Voy. Chall., xxx, p. 306, pi. li, figs. 1, 2, pi. liii, figs. 5, 6, 1889. 

 Off Cape Verde Islands. 



Nymphaster basilicus Sladen. 



Voy. Chall., xxx, p. 308, pi. Mi, figs. 8, 9, 1889. 

 Off Brazil, 1200 fathoms. 



Two Indo-Paciiic species, described by Sladen, differ from all the 

 others in having a single median row of abactinal radial plates 

 between the dorsal marginal ones, nearly or quite to the tip of the 

 rays. In this group the pedicellarije are high and spatulate, as in 

 Goniaster, and the adambulacral spines are in very regular parallel 

 rows. This group may, therefore, well deserve a distinct generic 

 or subgeneric name, and I would suggest Nereidaster, with N. sym- 

 bolicus as the type. The two species are as follows : — 



