ECHINODERMA. 



AsTERIAS BRANDTI. 



Astcrlas hraiidti, Bull, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1881), p. ',11. , 



Asterias negJecta, id., op. cit. pp. 04 and 50C. 



Dr. Meissner has suggested that A. neglecta, which I described at the same time 

 as A. brandti, is the same species. I thiuk he is right ; A. belli of Prof. Studer and 

 A. glomerata of Sladen appear to be also synonymous ; with regard to the first three 

 Prof. Perrier suggested the same view in 1891. 



My species were described on pp. 91 and 94 of the Proc. Zool. Soc. for 1881 ; 

 Dr. Meissner's synonymy will be found on p. 7 of the Ergeb. Hamburg ]\Iagalhan. 

 Sammelreise, Lief. vii. (1904). I suggested in the report on the 'Southern Cro.ss' 

 collections (p. 215) that the species was circumpolar in its distribution, and so it 

 certainly is. 



A large number of specimens were collected; the largest, from 4-10 fms. 

 ]\Ic]\Iurdo Bay, was the " mother of a number of young after capture " * ; and some other 

 large specimens were taken at No. 3 hole, and some smaller at No. 11. Flagon Point 

 (10-20 fms.). Cape Wadsworth, and Hut Point also yielded examples; the large 

 examples marked 48 and 49 are only said to be from Winter Quarters. 



From 100 fms. (East end of Barrier) and 130 fms. (No. 2) specimens were 

 collected which, but for the formidable synonymy of the species, I should be inclined to 



regard as distinct. 



Asterias longstaffi. 



This fine species is represented by a single specimen, which presents well-marked 

 features. I name it after the generous friend of science whose contribution to the 

 funds of the Royal Geographical Society made the voyage of the ' Discovery ' 

 possible. 



A large stout form with R about equal to 3 r ; the whole of the dorsal surface is 

 uniformly and densely covered with paxilliform spines of some size. The madreporite is 

 of moderate size; the podia are enormous, the adambulacral sjjines are long, 

 cylindrical, blunt at the tip, so irregularly set that it is difficult to say whether there 

 arc two or three rows ; be\'oud them there are shorter and more delicate, but otherwise 

 similar cylindrical spines very closely set ; there are two quite well-marked sets of 

 marginal plates ; the inferomargiuals are very narrow in the angle of the arm, while 

 the superomarginals in the same region are very short ; both sets are covered with 

 coarse granules, among which no pedicellariae are to be detected. The podia within 

 the oral circlet are of enormous size. It = 210 ; r = 70. 



W.Q. ; 1 0-20 fms. 



As tlicre is only ;i single spccimeu, no comparisons are pos.sible ; but it may be 



* These liave been made the subject of an interesting separate report by Prof, MacBridc and Mr. .J. C. Simpson. 



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