CESTBACIOSIID^. 
307 
Genus ASTERACANTHUS, Agassiz. 
[I’oiss. Foss. vol. iii. 1837, i>. 31.] 
Syn. Strophodm, L. Agassiz, tom. cit. 1838, p. 110. 
Curtodus, II. E. 8auvage, Catal. Poiss. Form. Second. Iloulonnals 
(M^m. Soc. Acad. lioulogne-sur-Mer, yol. ii.), 1807, p. 53. 
Principal teeth elongated, irregularly quadrate, with slightly 
arched, but flattened, crown ; sympliysial teeth few, relatively large, 
much arched, without lateral denticles, longitudinally keeled ; all 
superficially ornamented by reticulate markings. Dorsal tin-spines 
marked by stellate tubercles, sometimes in part fused into short 
longitudinal ribs ; two posterior longitudinal series of denticles 
placed mesially. Large hook-shaped, semi-barbed spines present 
upon the head. Notochord persistent. 
The teeth and spines have hitherto only been found associated in 
the type species ', and it is thus necessary at present to retain the 
duplicate provisional names for all others. As in the case of 
Ifyhodus and Acrodus, the superficial ornamentation of the dorsal 
fin-spines is so variable, that no species founded upon these fossils 
alone can be regarded as satisfactorily defined. 
Asteracanthus oraatissimus, Agassiz. 
1753. Snout of gome animal of the JUh tribe, II. Baker, Phil. Trans, 
p. 118, pi. vi. 
1837. Agteracaulhug omaliggimug, L. Agassiz, Poiss. Foss. vol. iii. p. 31, 
pi. viii. 
1838. Strophodug reticulatug, L. Agassiz, tom. cit. p. 123, pi. xvii. 
1838. Strophodug gubreticulatug, L. Agassiz, tom. cit. p. 125, pL xviii. 
figs. ^10. 
1840. Strophodug radiatug, G. von Miinster, Beitr. Petrefakt. vii. p. 47, 
pi. iii. fig. 14. 
1848. Agteracanthm preuggi, \V. Dunker, Paheontogr. vol. i. p. 188, 
pi. x.vri. fig. 3. 
1851. Agteracaathug ornatiggimtu, AV. Dunker, Palaeontogr. vol. i. 
p. 310, pi. xxxvii. fig.s. 1-7. 
1855. Agteracaulhug papillosus, Sir P. Egerton, Figs, and Descrips. 
Brit. Org. Bemains (Mem. Geol. Surv.), dec. viii. no. 3, p. .3. 
1801. Agteracantkug omaliggimug, AA'agner, Abh. k. bay. Akad. 
AViss., math.-phys. CL vol. ix. p. 317. 
1804. Strophodug gubreticulatug, J. Tliurmnnn & A. Etallon, Letb. Brun- 
trutana, (Xouv. Mem. Soc. llelv. Sci. Nat. vol. xx.) p. 432, pi. ki. 
figs. 10, 20. 
1864. Agteracauthug omatiggimug, 11. Damon, Geol. AVeymouth, Suppl. 
pi. X. fig. 2. 
' Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. [6] vol. ii. 1888, p. 336, pi. xii. 
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