MESOPALx^ASTEU (?) KETLEYl. 



108 



group of the Lower Carboniferous at Crawfordsville, Indiana. Schuchert makes 

 the species the genotype of a new genus Neopalxuster, for which he founds a new 

 famih% the Neopalgeasteridas. This family is defined (85, p. 134) as follows : 

 " Progressive Phanerozonia without interbrachial arcs. The columns of supra- 

 and infra-marginal ossicles wholly superposed. Madreporite abactinal. Well- 

 developed ocular plates present. Ambulacrals alternating. Disc with a ring of 

 large plates of basal, radial, and interradial ossicles." Schuchert states that " the 

 origin of this family is uncertain, but it seems to be related to the PromopalaB- 

 asteridse, since its essential characters are those of the Mesopalreasterinje." It 



III 









Ti:xT-riG. .59. — Outline drawing of ossicles on apical surface of M^-sopalrfdu'er (!) ketleiti (drawn from 

 specimen in the possession of the I iirmingham University), x 6. 



seems to be an end-species of one of the " Promopalaeasterid " lineages, and the 

 formation of a family for this single form appears to be an unnecessary complication 

 of the classification of these Palaeozoic starfishes. 



(3) Schuchert, in his revision of the American Palaeozoic genera, subdivides the 

 genus Fdhedi^inr, Hall, and confines it to one species, P. niagiirensls. Hall. The 

 nuich reduced genus, with a new genus Australaster, founded from the two 

 Australian species Palseaster {Monaster) (jir/anleus, Etheridge jr., and Palxaster 

 {Monaster) stntcJtbiirii, Etheridge jr., is made to comprise the family Palse- 

 asteridge, Gregory (emend. Schuchert). This family is defined (85, p. 66) as 

 follows: "Primitive, derived, five-rayed Phanerozonia with the ambulacrals 

 slightly alternate or opposite. Interbrachial arcs incipient or somewhat enlarged, 



