630 ECHINODEEMATA 



E. spinulosus Verrill. Disc rather small; color dark violet; size 10 

 cm.: common on the Florida coast, ranging north to Cape Hatteras or 

 perhaps New Jersey. 



FAMILY 3. SOLASTEEIDAE. 



Arms long and slender and often more than 5 in number; aboral 

 plates reticular, and bearing paxillae; 2 rows of feet and no pedicel- 

 lariae: 6 genera, mainly in shallow water in temperate seas. 



SOLASTER Forbes. Rays 7 to 14; aboral plates form a fine network 

 with small meshes: 12 species. 



S. endeca (L.). Purple sun-star (Fig. 977). Arms 7 to 13, usually 

 9 to 11 in number, with 2 rows of marginal plates; color reddish-purple 



Fig. 977 Fig. 978 



Fig. 977 Solaster endeca (Clark). Fig. 978 Solaster papposus (Fisher). 



above ; size 20 to 35 cm. : common from Cape Cod northwards, from low- 

 water mark to 150 fathoms; Pacific coast; Europe. 



S. papposus (L.). Common sun-star (Fig. 978). Arms 8 to 14, 

 usually 10 or 11, with 1 row of marginal plates ; color red or variegated ; 

 aboral network with larger meshes than in S. endeca: Cape Cod north- 

 wards, being common north of Casco Bay ; Pacific coast ; Europe. 



FAMILY 4. PTERASTEEIDAE. 



Starfishes with a large disc and short, thick arms; aboral surface 

 covered with a skin which passes over the spines, enclosing a brood 

 chamber ; 2 or 4 rows of feet and no pedicellariae : 10 genera. 



PTERASTER Miiller and Troschel. Aboral skin with a large central 

 opening into the broad chamber, provided with valves; oral surface also 

 covered with a similar skin: 28 species. 



