Stichaster albulus, (Stimpson) Verrill. 
Tab. VIII, Fig. 13—15. 
1842. Asteracanthion roseus, pars, Miller & Troschel. 
Syst. der Asteriden, pag. 17. 
1853. <Asteracanthion albulus, Stimpson. Synops. Mar. In- 
vert. Grand-Manan, pag. 14, pl. XIV, fig. 5. 
1855. Asteracanthion problema, Steenstrup. Vid. Medd. 
Nat. Forening i Kjøbenhavn 1854, pag. 240. 
1857. Asteracanthion problema, Liitken. Oversigt over 
Grønlands Echinodermata, 1877, pag. 30. 
1863. Asterzas albula, Stimpson. Proc. Acad. Nat. Se. 
Philadelphia 1863, pag. 142. 
1866. Stechaster albulus, Verrill. Proce. Boston Soe. Nat. 
Hist. Vol. X, pag. 351. 
1869. Stichaster albulus, Ed. Perrier. Stellerides du Mu- 
seum. Arch. d. Zool. expér. & gen. Vol. IV, 
pag. 346. 
1878. Asterias albulus, Marenzeller. Die Coelenteraten, 
Echinodermen und Wiirmer, der k. k. øst.-ung. 
Nordpol-Expedition. Denkschr. der kais. k. Acad. 
der Wissensch. 35t B., pag. 283. 
1881.  Stichaster albulus, Duncan & Sladen. A Mem. on 
the Echinod. of the Arctic Sea to the West of 
Greenland 1881, pag. 29. 
Denne i flere Henseender ret mærkelige Sostjerne har 
været Gjenstand for flere Forskeres Undersogelser, af hvilke 
vi kunne neyne Stimpson, Steenstrup, Liitken, Duncan & 
Sladen. Paa Nordhaysexpeditionen blev der funden en 
hel Del Exemplarer langs Spitsbergens Kyster, hvor den 
forekom temmelig hyppigt. 
Vi have havt Anledning til at observere den levende 
i 14—15 Dage, og Resultaterne af disse Observationer 1 
Forbindelse med den Undersøgelse, vi have anstillet paa 
Spiritusexemplarer, skulle vi nu meddele. 
Som bekjendt frembyder Stichaster albulus den Mær- 
kelighed, at den 1 en vis Periode af sit Liv kaster en eller 
flere Arme, og saa reproducerer nye. Denne Proces fore- 
gik paa følgende Maade. Lige ved Grunden af en Arm 
viste der sig en yderst fin Linie, der omspændte Rygfladen 
til henimod Bugfuren; ved stærk Loupeforstørrelse saaes 
denne Linie egentlig at være en fin Fure, der blev alt 
dybere og dybere, idet Huden ved Absorbtion paa dette Sted 
efterhaanden blev tyndere, saa at der efter en Tid af 14 
Dage virkelig opstod en Spalte, der næsten ganske gjennem- 
trængte Hudens Tykkelse. Paa Bugfladen viste der sig 1 
den omtalte Tid intet Tegn til en saadan Spaltning.  Ski- 
veranden, hvorfra Armen paa Rygsiden var begyndt at 
skilles, krængede sig lidt nedad og afrundedes; men nogen 
fuldstændig Adskillelse iagttoges ikke. Dette Phænomen 
observeredes paa et 5-armet og et 6-armet Individ. 
Af fortsatte Undersøgelser paa de i Spiritus opbeva- 
rede Exemplarer, af hvilke vi vare i Besiddelse af mange 
31 
Stichaster albulus, (Stimpson) Verrill. 
Pl. VIII, figs. 13—15. 
1842. Asteracanthion roseus, pars, Miller & Troschel. 
Syst. der Asteriden, pag. 17. 
1853. Asteracantlion albulus, Stimpson. Synops. Mar. In- 
vert. Grand-Manan, pag. 14, pl. XIV, fig. 5. 
1855. Asteracanthion problema, Steenstrup. Vid. Medd. 
Nat. Forening i Kjøbenhavn 1854, pag. 240. 
1857. Asteracanthion problema, Liitken. Oversigt over 
Grønlands Echinodermata 1877, pag. 30. 
1863. Asterias albula, Stimpson. Proc. Acad. Nat. Se. 
Philadelphia 1863, pag. 142. 
1866.  Stichaster albulus, Verrill. Proce. Boston Soc. Nat. 
l5bst, Vol X, ma, SH 
1869. Stechuster albulus, Ed. Perrier. Stellerides du Mus- 
eum. Arch. d. Zool. expér. & gen. Vol. IV, 
pag. 346. 
1878. Asterias albulus, Marenzeller. Die Coelenteraten, 
Echinodermen und Wurmer, der k. k. øst.-ung. 
Nordpol-Expedition.  Denksehr. der kais. k. Acad. 
der Wissensch. 35t B., pag. 283. 
1881.  Stichaster albulus, Duncan & Sladen. A Mem. on 
the Echinod. of the Arctic Sea. to the West of 
Greenland 1881, pag. 29. 
This, in many respects, very remarkable starfish, has 
been the object of the researches of many naturalists, 
amongst whom, we may mention, Stimpson, Steenstrup, 
Liitken, Duncan and Sladen. During the North-Atlantic 
Expedition, numerous specimens were obtained along the 
coasts of Spitzbergen, and, it was rather frequently met 
with, there. 
We have had the opportunity of observing it for 14— 
state the 
observations, combined with the examination we have made, 
15 days, alive, and, will now result of these 
of specimens preserved in spirit. 
As is known, Stichaster albulus presents the peculi- 
arity, that at a certain period of its life, it casts, one or 
more rays, and reproduces them anew. This process pro- 
ceeds in the following manner. Close to the origin of a 
ray, there appears an extremely fine streak spanning the 
With the 
assistance of a powerful magnifyer, this streak is seen to 
abactinal surface nearly to the ventral furrow. 
be, really, a minute fissure, which gradually, becomes deeper 
and deeper, owing to the integument, in this situation, be- 
coming by absorption, gradually thinner, so, that, after the 
lapse of 14 days, there is really developed a fissure which 
almost quite penetrates the integument. During the time 
specified, there was no appearance of a similar fissure on 
the ventral surface. The diskal margin from which the ray 
had begun to separate on the dorsal surface fell in slightly, 
and became rounded off, but complete separation was not 
observed. This phenomenon was observed, in a 5-rayed, 
and, also, in a 6-rayed specimen. 
From continued examination of the specimens preserved 
in spirit, of which, we were in posession of many, in 
