Since its foundation in 1793, type specimens of 441 asteroid species and subspecies have been deposited in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle of Paris. The annotated catalogue of all these taxa is drawn up including species whose type material could not be found in the collection. Today the Paris museum houses 1011 asteroid type specimens representing 398 nominal species and subspecies, most of which were described by Lamarck (1816), Müller & Troschel (1842), Perrier (between 1869 and 1896) and Koehler (between 1895 and 1923). Though originating worldwide, species coming from the Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific Oceans, and Antarctic waters are more numerous. A biographical directory of all those involved either in the descriptions of the species or the collection of new material as well as their dedicatee is annexed to the catalogue. Revision of the Paris collection allows to propose taxonomic changes for two species of Müller & Troschel (Echinaster crassus Müller & Troschel, 1842 and Echinaster gracilis Müller & Troschel, 1842 are synonymized with Echinaster purpureus (Gray, 1840)) and five species of Perrier (Asterias borbonica Perrier, 1875 and Echinaster clouei Perrier, 1869 are synonymized with Echinaster purpureus (Gray, 1840), Oreaster clouei Perrier, 1869 and Oreaster mammosus Perrier, 1869 with Protoreaster lincki (Blainville, 1830) and Ophidiaster chinensis Perrier, 1875 with Ophidiaster granifer Lütken, 1871). |
