NEW STARFISHES FROM DEEP WATER OFF CALIFORNIA AND ALASKA. 



By WALTER K. FISHER. 

 Assistant in /.oology, Leland Stanford Junior University. 



In this paper are described 1 genus, 2 subgenera, and 24 species of starfishes 

 believed to be new. They arc as follows: 



Eremicaster, new subgenus. 



Porcellanaster (Eremicaster) tenebrarius. 



Bathybiaster pectinatus. 



Dipsacaster eximius. 



Persephonaster penicillatus. 



Benthopecten acanthanotus. 



1 tytaster gilberti. 



Mimaster swifti. 



( Montaster crassus. 



Pseudarchaster alascensis. 



Pseudarchaster pusillus. 



Toaia leptocerama. 



Mediastcr tcnellus. 



Hippasteria californica. 

 Cryptopeltaster, new genus. 

 ( iryptopeltaster lepidonotus. 

 Lophaster Eurcilliger. 

 Peribolaster biserialis. 

 Pteraster jordani. 

 Hymenaster quadrispinosus. 

 Zoroaster ophiurus. 

 Myxoderma, new subgenus. 

 Zoroaster (Myxoderma) sacculatus. 

 Zoroaster (Myxoderma) evermanni. 

 Brisinga exilis. 

 Freyella fecunda. 



Hippasteria heathi. 



One subfamily, the Pseudarchasterina;, is raised to family rank. 



The specimens on which these descriptions arc based were dredged by the 

 .steamer Albatross in Alaskan waters during the summer of 1903, and off the coast of 

 southern and central California in the spring of 1904. In the final reports on these 

 dredging operations numerous figures of all the new forms will be published. The 

 collections are the property of the V. S. Bureau of Fisheries and are temporarily 

 deposited in the zoological museum of Stanford University for study. A full scries. 

 including the types, will eventually l>c deposited in the U. S. National Museum. 



Family PORCELLANASTERIM Sladen, 1889. 



Genus PORCELLANASTER Wyville Thomson. 



Pomtlaiiaster Wyville Thomson, Voyage of Chalk ngi r, Atlantic, 1, 378, 1877 I /'. cierulcm Thomson). 



Eremicaster, new subgenus. 



Differs from typical Porcellanaster in having 3 cribriform organs to each interradius; segmental 

 pits and papilla? present; adambulacral plates with 1 or 2 spines. Type, Porcellanaster (Eremicaster) 

 tenebrarius, new species. 



Porcellanaster (Eremicaster) tenebrarius, new species. 



Rays 5. R=37mm.; r=12 mm. R=3 r. Breadth of ray at interradial line, 14 to 15 mm.; at 

 outer edge of lateral cribriform organ,!* nun.; height of epiproctal rone, 3 to 5 nun., in differert 

 specimens. 



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