108 FOSSIL ASTEROIDEA. 



Metopaster Parkinsoni (a p), Stauranderaster ocellatus (q r), and Pentagonaster 

 megaloplax (s w). 



Various German writers have utilised the description of Goldfuss and this 

 specific name for the identification of isolated ossicles e. g. in Roemer, 1841, 

 ' Die Verstein. norddeutsch. Kreidegeb.,' pi. vi, fig. 20, the ossicles, ascribed to 

 A. quinqueloba are really ossicles of P. megaloplax ; while in Reuss, 1845 6, 

 ' Verstein. bohm. Kreideform.,' p. 58, pi. xliii, figs. 15 20, and in Geinitz, 

 1872 5, ' Palaeontographica,' vol. xx, pt. 2, pi. vi, fig. 7, the ossicles ascribed to 

 A. quinqueloba, are really ossicles of M. Parkinsoni. 



Since the name quinqueloba is prior to all the other names mentioned above, it 

 must be used instead of one of them. The simplest course appears to be to limit 

 it in the sense of Roemer, by fixing on the specimen represented in Goldfuss's 

 plate Ixiii, fig. 5 t, u, as type of Asterias quinqueloba. The result of this is to 

 replace the name Pentagonaster megaloplax, Sladen (antea p. 27, PI. IV, figs. 2 4, 

 PI. XIII, figs.l a, 1 b), by Pentagonaster quinqueloba (Goldfuss). 



ASTERIAS JURENSIS, Minister, 1826. In Goldfuss, ' Petrefacta Germanic,' p. 210, 



pi. Ixiii, figs. 6 a /;. 



Figs. 6 a e represent a fragment and isolated ossicles which closely resemble 

 Calliderma Smithix, and figs. 6/ h represent isolated ossicles bearing an equally 

 strong resemblance to Stauranderaster Soysii. The species, however, is said to be 

 " e calcareo jurassi Wurthembergia et Baruthino," whereas G. Smitliix and 8. 

 Bot/sii are typical Cretaceous species, and have not in any other work been 

 described from Jurassic rocks. Without seeing the original specimens no one 

 should assert that Miinster was so far mistaken as to the horizon and locality of 

 the fossils before him. We can only suspend judgment. 



ASTERIAS TABULATA, Goldfuss, 1826. ' Petrefacta Germanic,' p. 210, pi. Ixiii. 



figs. 7 a g. ' 



Figs. 7 a b are illustrations of isolated ossicles of Stauranderaster argus 

 which are found in the Upper Chalk (zone of Micraster. cor-anguinum). I am 

 unable to recognise the illustrations of the remaining ossicles -as appertaining to 

 any English Cretaceous species. The plates are said to be " e stratis argillaceis 

 superioribus calcarei jurassi Baruthini." It is just possible that the locality and 

 stratigraphical horizon are wrongly given in the case of a and b, and the name 

 Asterias tabulata should be restricted to figs, c g, one of those specimens being 

 taken as type. 



