Consider the following characters: (a) Aboral surface bears anus and madreporite. (b) Ambulacral grooves are absent. (c) Respiration by dermal branchiae and tube feet.(d) Arms are branched.(e) Pedicellariae are present Which of the following options gives the correct description of Asterias?

Options

A. (a),(c) and (e)
B. (b), (c) and (d)
C. (a),(d) and (e)
D. (b),(d) and (e)

Answer

To solve the question regarding the correct description of Asterias based on the given characters, we will analyze each statement one by one.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Analyze Statement (a)**: "Aboral surface bears anus and madreporite."
- The aboral surface of Asterias (starfish) does not bear an anus; instead, it has the madreporite, which is a sieve plate. Therefore, this statement is **incorrect**.

2. **Analyze Statement (b)**: "Ambulacral grooves are absent."
- Asterias does have ambulacral grooves that run along the arms, but they are not as pronounced as in some other echinoderms. However, for the purpose of this question, we consider the statement to be **incorrect** since ambulacral grooves are present.

3. **Analyze Statement (c)**: "Respiration by dermal branchiae and tube feet."
- Asterias does respire through dermal branchiae (skin gills) and tube feet. This statement is **correct**.

4. **Analyze Statement (d)**: "Arms are branched."
- Asterias has arms that are not branched; they are typically five in number and unbranched. Therefore, this statement is **incorrect**.

5. **Analyze Statement (e)**: "Pedicellariae are present."
- Asterias does have pedicellariae, which are small pincer-like structures on the surface of the starfish. This statement is **correct**.

### Summary of Findings:
- Statement (a): Incorrect
- Statement (b): Incorrect
- Statement (c): Correct
- Statement (d): Incorrect
- Statement (e): Correct

### Conclusion:
From the analysis, the correct statements about Asterias are (c) and (e). However, since the question asks for the option that gives the correct description of Asterias, we can conclude that the correct answer is **Option 2**, which states that statements B, C, and D are correct.