358 Ml MURRAY ON THE DEEP AND SHALLOW-WATER MARINE FAUNA 



* Antedon ahjssorum, Carpenter. 



,, bispinosa, 1 Carpenter. 

 ,, remota, Carpenter. 

 Bathycrinus* aldricliianus, Wyville Thomson. 

 Hyocrinus beilicllianus, Wyville Thomson. 

 * Promachocrinus abyssorum, Carpenter. 

 *Thaumatocrinus renovatus, Carpenter. 



ASTEROIDEA : 



*Brisinga discincta, Sladen. 



* „ membranacea, Sladen. 

 *Chitonaster cataphractus, Sladen. 

 *Freyella 3 fragilissima, Sladen.. 



* Hymenaster * ccelatus, Sladen. . . 



* ,, coccinatus, Sladen 



of its calyx, for it is the only Comatula yet found at a greater depth than 2000 fathoms. Bathycrinus, and perhaps 

 also Hyocrinus, extend down to 2400 fathoms ; Promachocrinus and Thaumatocrinus occur at 1800 fathoms, but wit Ii 

 the exception of Antedon abyssicola, no other Comatulae have been found below 1600 fathoms, at which depth (Station 

 147) Antedon abyssorum, Antedon bispinosa, and Antedon remota were obtained. Antedon abyssicola has been dredged, 

 however, at two Stations, one (Station 160) shortly before the Challenger reached Melbourne, where the depth was 

 2600 fathoms, and the other in the deepest part of the North Pacific at 2900 fathoms (Station 244). Antedon abyssicola 

 thus resembles Antedon alternata in occurring at widely separated localities in the abyssal region, and it has some points 

 of resemblance with the younger individuals of this type. — (Carpenter, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 60, pp. 191-2.) 



1 Antedon bispinosa has such very definite characters that it is not likely to be confounded with any other. ' The 

 spiny calyx and the double row of long hook-like spines along the arms distinguish it very clearly. ... It is 

 rather a robust species for such a considerable depth (1600 fathoms). But the sacculi are poorly developed, as is so 

 often the case in the abyssal Comatula?. — (Carpenter, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 60, p. 116.) 



2 Bathycrinus ranges through a greater number of degrees of latitude than any other stalked Crinoid, even Rh 

 crinus ; and it is only surpassed in this respect by the ubiquitous Antedon. Bathycrinus carpcnteri was found by tl;« 

 Norwegian North Sea Expedition as far north as 65° 55' N. lat. ; while Bathycrinus aldricliianus was twice met with 

 by the Challenger in the Southern Ocean beyond the parallel of 46° S. lat. In the intervening Atlantic Ocean have 

 been found Bathycrinus gracilis (Bay of Biscay) and Bathycrinus campbellianus (just north of the equator) ; while other 

 examples of the genus were dredged by the "Talisman" in the Atlantic at a depth of from 2000 to 2380 metres (1300 

 fathoms). It is distinctly an abyssal type, ranging from 1050 to 2435 fathoms. The only Crinoids which have 

 been found at greater depths than the latter are two species of Antedon. — (Carpenter, Zool. Chall. Exp., part 32, 

 p. 237.) 



a As now classified the species [of the genus Ereyella] present a remarkable similarity -of general facie?, and tin- 

 comparatively small amount of morphological plasticity exhibited by the genus is extraordinary, considering the wide 

 geographical area over which it is distributed. The bathymetrical range is also remarkable, extending from the 

 commencement of the continental zone to the greatest depth at which starfishes have been found. — (Sladen, Zool. 

 Chall. Exp., part 51, p. 615.) 



4 The dredgings of the Challenger Expedition have now shown that Hymenaster possesses a world-wide di 

 bution in deep waters, and that the genus exhibits a remarkable amount of morphological plasticity, no less than 

 twenty-four species being now known. The bathymetrical range of the genus is also remarkable, as, with the 

 exception of the type form {Hymenaster pellucidus), which ranges from 70 to 1539 fathoms, all the species are confined 

 to the abyssal zone. One, Hymenaster infernalis, extends to 2900 fathoms, the greatest depth at which starfishes have 

 hitherto been found ; and four other species occur in depths greater than 2000 fathoms. . . . The general facies of ■ 

 the type appears to be one of great antiquity. This, however, is not the place to discuss, as I should desire, the archaic 

 relationships of existing Asterids ; and I would therefore now only briefly direct attention to the remarkable resem- 

 blance and, in many respects, apparent similarity of general character, which exist between Hymenaster and the recently 

 described Loriolaster of Sturtz from the Lower Devonian slates of Bundenbach.— (Sladen, Zool Chall. Exp., part 51, 

 p. 492.) 



