318 
larger size than A. polyplax. (Benham records one of R = 88 mm; 
my largest specimen has R = 50 mm.) — Upon the whole, it is 
beyond doubt that the two species are perfectiy distinet, though — 
as is evident from the facts here pointed out — rather closely 
related. 
24. Sclerasterias mollis (Hutton). 
PI. XIV. Figs. 13-14. 
Åsterias mollis. Hutton. 1872. Catalogue Echinod. New Zealand; p. 4. 
— — Farquhar. 1898. On the'Echinoderm Fauna of New 
Zealand. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales. p. 316. 
— — Ben ham. 1909. Sci. Res. N. Z. G. Trawling Exp. Echi- 
noderma. Rec. Canterb. Mus. 1.2. p. 19. 
Eustolasterias mollis. W. K. Fis her. 1923. A Preliminary Synopsis of 
the Asteriidæ, a family of Sea-Stars. Ann. Mag. 
Nat. Hist 9. Ser. Xll. p. 255. 
Sclerasterias — W. K. Fisher. 1924. The genus Sclerasterias 
Perrier. Buli. Inst. Océanogr. Nr. 444. 
No specimens of this species were collected by the author; but 
two specimens, taken off Otago in a depth of 20—30 fms. were 
presented to the Copenhagen Museum by Professor Benham. 
One of them is in a fairly good State of preservation, though broken. 
As the species has never 
been figured I think it 
desirable to figure this 
specimen. 
Although a detailed 
description of the species 
does not exist, it seems 
to me not appropriate 
to try to supply such 
description on the base 
of the material available, 
especially because I have 
no possibility of com- 
paring it with the other 
species referred to this 
genus, which makes it 
Fig. 20. Sclerasterias mollis. 
a. Valve of crossed pedicellaria, from the inside; 
b. valve of straight pedicellaria (in outline) from 
the inside; c. large, straight pedicellaria; note the 
large muscles. a. ^^/i; b—c. ^^/i. 
