94 ZOROASTERIDAE. 
The absence of any suboral spines distinguishes this species from any 
hitherto described. The three oral spines are so perfectly graduated in size 
and position, it would be quite unnatural to call the innermost a suboral, even 
though its position is not strictly marginal. Other notable features of this form 
are the greatly projecting pavxillar spinelets, the few, slender, and widely spaced 
actinolateral spines, and the very long and slender adambulacral spines. 
ZOROASTERIDAE.! 
The systematic position of this small but well-marked family has been 
the source of no little difference of opinion, but few will now question the posi- 
tion assigned it by Verrill and by Fisher in the Forcipulosa near the Asteriidae. 
More than thirty species have been assigned to Zoroaster but the remaining 
genera are either monotypic or contain only two or three species. As I have 
had occasion to study critically the forms referred to Zoroaster, I give here a 
list of such species, followed by artificial keys to the genera which it seems 
desirable to recognize, and to the species which they contain, when not mono- 
typic. 
List of the specific names used with Zoroaster. 
fulgens Wyvitte Tomson, 1873. Depths of the Sea, p. 154. Northwest of the Hebrides, 767 fms.2 
sigsbeei * Perrrer, 1880. Comp. Rend., 91, p. 436. Off St. Kitts, B. W. I., 120-231 fms. 
ackleyi Perrier, 1880. Ibid. 
diomedeae VERRILL, 1884. Amer. Journ. Sci., ser. 3, 28, p. 217. Off southern New England, 1,000-1,600 
fms. 
longicauda Perrier, 1885. Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 6,19, no. 8, p.19. Eastern North Atlantic, 1,637-2,325 
fms. 
tenuis SLADEN, 1889. Challenger Ast., p. 421. North of New Guinea, 1,070 fms. 
alfredi Aucock, 1893. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, 1, p. 102. Bay of Bengal, 1,300-1,380 fms. 
barathri Aucock, 1893. Ibid., p. 103. Bay of Bengal, 1,520 fms. 
planus Aucock, 1893. Ibid., p. 104. Laccadive Sea, 1,200 fms. 
angulatus Aucock, 1893. Ibid., p. 105. Gulf of Manaar, 597 fms. Laccadive Sea, 705 fms. 
carinatus AucocK, 1893. Ibid., p. 107. Andaman Sea, 130-250 fms. 
gilesii Aucock, 1893. Ibid., p. 108. Andaman Sea, 400-500 fms. 
squameus Aucock, 1893. Ibid.,p.109. Laceadive Sea, 1,043 fms. 
zea Aucock, 1893. Ibid.,p.110. Gulf of Manaar, 597fms. Laccadive Sea, 1,200 fms. 
trispinosus KOEHLER, 1895. Rev. Biol. Nord France, 7, no. 12, p.6. Bay of Biscay, 360 fms. 
ophiurus Fisner, 1905. Bull. U. 8. Bur. Fish., 24, p. 315. Off San Diego, Cala., 1,059 fms. 
‘Since this report was prepared, Fisher has published two important papers bearing on the mor- 
phology and taxonomy of this family: 1919, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, 3, p. 387-393; 1919, Bull. 100 
U.S. N. M., p. 470-487. As our results have been reached quite independently and are almost invari- 
ably in accord, I have let this account of the Zoroasteridae stand with very few changes. 
* An unfortunate typographical error on p. 152 gives this locality as ““2°.11’ W. long.” On p. 144 
however, it is correctly given as “9° 11’ W.” 
* The name is spelled “Sigsbeci” in the original publication but this is, of course, a typographical error. 
