57 
og hos Sol. endeca, hvor de ere mere ovale, ligge tæt 
taglagte. 
Odontophoren hos Sol. furcifer, Tab. IX, fig. 9, e, 
adskiller sig ikke fra de øvrige Arters; den har Grund- 
formen for Slægten Solaster. 
Randpladerne ere stillede i to Rækker, den ene til- 
hørende Ryg-, den anden Bugfladen. 
De dorsale Randplader, Tab. IX, Fig. 10, c. 11, c, 
ere smaa, lidt ovale, tynde Plader, der paa den inderste 
Del af Armen ligge lidt fra hverandre, men nærme sig alt 
mere og mere, jo længere de naa frem mod Enden, indtil 
de ganske slutte sig sammen. De have paa den øvre Flade 
en liden Fordybning, der tjener til Ledflade for den dor- 
sale Paxillerække langs Randen, imedens den undre Flade 
er jævn og hviler paa en liden Del af den tilsvarende ven- 
trale Randplade, bundet til denne ved stærkt Bindevæv. 
De ventrale Randplader, Tab. IX, Fig. 9, c. 10, a. 
11, 6, ere lidt mere aflange og lidt større end de dor- 
sale; deres undre Flade fæster sig med en liden Del 
til den dorsale Randplade og afgiver Ledfladen for den 
ventrale Paxillerække; deres øvre Flade er lidt konkav og 
hviler paa den undre, afrundede Rand af den tilsvarende 
Adambulacralplade, Fig. 10, 0. 
Skelettet ligner saagodtsom ganske det hos Sol. pap- 
posts. Ambulacralpladerne have maaske lidt bredere Tver- 
processer, ligesom Adambulacralpladerne ere lidt tyndere, 
men forøvrigt kunne vi ingen Forskjel finde. 
Af det her anførte maa det vel erkjendes, at Sol- 
aster furcifer ikke har noget høiere udviklet Hudskelet, end 
flere af de øvrige Arter af Slægten, at Randpladerne ikke 
1 nogen væsentlig Grad adskille sig fra dem hos Sol. glaci- 
alis, endeca, affinis og papposus, at Skelettet ingen synderlig 
Afvigelser frembyder, og at der, som Følge heraf, ingen 
Grund er til at opstille nogen ny Slægt for den. 
Vi formene nu saaledes at have tilstrækkelig begrun- 
det den af os tidligere udtalte Anskuelse, at Slægterne 
Crossaster og Lophaster ikke lade sig opretholde. 
Førend vi slutte disse Bemærkninger, skulle vi, efter 
de af os anstillede Undersøgelser, tro os berettigede til 
yderligere at udvide Karaktermerkerne for Slægten Solaster. 
Legemet 5- eller flerarmet, overalt besat med pensel- 
formede Paxiller; imellem disse Tentakelporer. 2 Rækker 
mere eller mindre udviklede, men af Huden skjulte Rand- 
plader. Anus - central. 
Den norske Nordhavsexpedition. Danielssen og Koren: Asteroidea, 
as the calcareous plates im Sol. endeca, which are more 
ovate in form; both lie closely imbricate. 
The odontophore in Solaster furcifer (Pl. LX, fig. 9 e), 
does not differ from that of the other species, and has the 
normal form pertaining to the genus Solaster. 
The marginal plates are ranged in two series; one 
pertaining to the abactinal, and the other to the actinal 
surface. 
The dorso-marginal plates (Pl. IX, fig. 10, ¢ 11, ¢) 
are thin, small, slightly oval plates, which in the diskal 
part of the ray, are slightly parted from each other, but 
close, gradually, more and more upon each other towards 
the extremity of the ray, until they at last unite. 
They have a small cavity on the superior surface, 
which serves as an articulatory surface for the dorsal pax- 
illar series along the margin; whilst the inferior surtace is 
even, and rests upon a small portion of the corresponding 
ventro-marginal plate, and is secured to it, by strong con. 
nective tissue. 
The ventro-marginal plates (Pl. IX, fig.9,c¢. 10,d. 11,0) 
are a little larger and a little more oblong than the dorso-marg- 
inal plates. Their inferior surfaces, besides being secured to 
the dorso-marginal plates by a small portion, furnish, as 
well, the articulatory surfaces for the ventral paxillar ser- 
ies. Their superior surface is slightly concave, and rests 
upon the inferior rounded margin of the corresponding adam- 
bulacral plate (Pl. LX, fig. 10,0). 
The skeleton, almost, quite resembles that of Solaster 
papposus. The ambulacral plates have, perhaps, somewhat 
broader transverse processes; whilst, the adambulacral 
plates are a little thinner, but we observed no difference, 
otherwise. 
From what has been stated here, it must be admit- 
ted, that Solaster furcifer has not any higher developed 
skeleton, than several of the other species of the same 
genus, and that the marginal plates do not in any special 
degree differ from those of Solaster glacialis, endeca, affinis 
and papposus; further, that the skeleton presents no parti- 
cular divergencies, and that there is, consequently, no reason 
to originate a new genus for it. 
We believe, that we have, now, sufficiently snbstan- 
tiated the view we have previously expressed viz. that the 
genera Crossaster and Lophaster cannot be maintained. 
Before we close these remarks, we shall, as the result 
of the examinations we have instituted, consider ourselves 
entitled to further extend the characteristic features of the 
genus Solaster. 
The body is 5-rayed, or sometimes has more rays. 
It is everywhere beset with penicilliform paxille, having 
tentacular pores seated betwen them. There are two series 
of more or less developed marginal plates, but these are 
concealed by the integument. The anus is mesial. 
