128 BULLETIN 75, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



typical aculeata that it is impossible for me to separate them satis- 

 factorily. The four figures (47a-d) will give a little idea of the diver- 

 sity which this species shows in the disk covering and in the plates 

 of the upper side of the arm. While typical japonica approaches 

 kennerlyi, we find specimens at the other extreme which approach 

 very near to longispina and bakeri. Although japonica is very com- 

 mon in Bering Sea and near the Aleutian Islands, it extends down on 

 the Japanese coast nearly to lat. 33, while on the American coast 

 it is not found below lat. 54, being replaced by var. kennerlyi. The 

 largest specimen in the collection is 22 mm. across the disk. The 

 bathymetrical and temperature ranges of this variety are notable. 



OPHIOPHOLIS ACULEATA. 



Asterias aculeata LINN^JUS, Syst. Nat., 12th ed., 1767, p. 1101. 

 Ophiopholis aculeata GRAY, List Brit. Mus., Rad. Anim., 1848, p. 25. 



Localities. Albatross station 2842, off Alaska, lat. 54 15' N. ; long. 

 166 3' W., 72 fathoms, pebbles, bottom temperature 41, 9 speci- 

 mens; station 2845, off Alaska, lat. 54 5' N.; long. 164 9' W., 42 

 fathoms, coarse black sand, bottom temperature 42, 37 specimens; 

 station 2846, off Alaska, lat. 54 8' N.; long. 162 44' W., 44 fathoms, 

 gravel, bottom temperature 42, 12 specimens; station 2849, off 

 Alaska, lat. 55 16' N.; long. 160 28' W., 69 fathoms, green mud, 

 bottom temperature 43, 24 specimens; station 2850, off Alaska, 

 lat. 54 52' N.; long. 159 46' W., 21 fathoms, broken shells, bottom 

 temperature 48.2, 1 specimen; station 2854, off Alaska, lat. 56 55' 

 N.; long. 153 4' W., 60 fathoms, black sand, bottom temperature 

 42.8, 2 specimens; station 2856, off Alaska, lat. 58 T N.; long. 151 

 36' W., 68 fathoms, gray sand, black specks, bottom temperature 44,. 

 15 specimens; station 2857, off Alaska, lat. 58 5' N.; long. 150 46' 

 W., 51 fathoms, broken shells, gray sand, bottom temperature 44.6, 

 10 specimens; station 2874, off Washington, lat. 48 30' N.; long. 

 124 57' W., 27 fathoms, rocks, shells, bottom temperature 50.3, 

 4 specimens; station 2875, off Washington, lat. 48 30' N.; long. 124 

 57' W., 40 fathoms, rocks, shells, bottom temperature 47.8, 1 speci- 

 men; station 2887, off Oregon, lat. 43 58' N.; long. 124 57' W., 42 

 fathoms, clay, pebbles, bottom temperature 47.1, 1 specimen; station 

 3095, off Oregon, lat. 42 44' 45" N.; long. 124 38' 10" W., 42 

 fathoms, rocks, stones, broken shells, bottom temperature 47, 3 

 specimens; station 3158, off California, lat. 37 47' 30" N.; long. 123 

 10' 40" W., 29 fathoms, rocky, bottom temperature 51.4, 1 speci- 

 men; station 3159, off California, lat. 37 47' 20" N.; long. 123 10' 

 W., 27 fathoms, rocky, 1 specimen; station 3168, off California, lat. 

 38 1' 25" N. ; long. 123 26' 55" W., 34 fathoms, rocky, coral, 1 speci- 

 men; station 3212, off Alaska, lat. 54 5' 30" N.;long. 162 54' W., 

 49 fathoms, gray sand, black specks, bottom temperature 38, 99 



